Journey's Beginning
by CrackedMetal
Summary: Set in Journey's End. Rose had access to a webcam at Donna's place and the reunion between her and the Doctor goes quite differently. Continues through to the end of the episode. Please review. 10/Rose. COMPLETE
1. the BuildUp

**A/N Okay - so I started watching Doctor Who a couple of months ago (starting with the 9****th**** Doctor episodes) and totally fell in love with it instantly. I thought Christopher Eccelston was brilliant and then I saw David Tennant and damn! The man is amazing. So here it is, my very first Doctor Who fanfic, I hope everyone likes it. And of course, please please review. Also, pretend that Harriet Jones was killed a bit earlier by the Daleks :P **

**Summary: Set in Journey's End. Rose had access to a webcam at Donna's place and the reunion between her and the Doctor goes… quite differently. Read and find out more. Please review. 10/Rose.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I own nothing of Doctor Who and never will… except my DVD's and collectables obviously ;) **

**Happy Reading!**

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**Chapter 1: The Build-up**

She looked around the screen frantically as he and Donna showed up in the fourth square. Seeing his face and hearing his voice so clearly and yet having no way to tell him she was there, that she'd finally found her way back to him, was excruciating – almost worse than having to say goodbye without a touch, without even a hint of the physical contact they frequently maintained and thrived on, without what they needed.

She shook herself out of her thoughts, trying to gain control over her emotions for as long as her possibly could. But even as she struggled to push the tears back and not let her panic burst forth she could feel a harsh sob making its way up her throat, bubbling on the tip of her tongue and making her whole body quiver.

Thankfully right at that moment an old hand appeared over her shoulder, cradling her salvation. She turned to look at Donna's grandfather, tears once again shining in her eyes as she heard that beautiful voice on the screen, laced with regret and just a hint of deep sadness.

_Everyone except for Rose. _

She had to bring a hand to her mouth to keep herself screaming in frustration before snatching the tiny device out of the wrinkled hand and staring at it, wide eyed.

'Hurry up love or you'll miss him,' the old man said, a smile on his face encouraging her and spurring her into action. She turned back to the computer and placed the small, white camera on top quickly clicking a few times and nervously biting her nails as she waited for it to come online.

'Please, please… come on,' she muttered to herself, fidgeting endlessly, the seconds passing entirely too slowly and yet she was unable to look away from the face she had missed so much and was sure had missed her.

Suddenly the whole conversation stopped as everyone saw yet another box appear, right in the centre of the screen, staying as static as the computer finished setting it up properly.

'Who the hell is that?' Questioned Ianto rhetorically knowing that no one could possibly answer… apart from maybe the Doctor, but he looked just as shocked as everyone else. They could all only pray that the Daleks hadn't somehow figured out how to hack into the feed.

Then came a new soft voice, filtering through from the as yet undeveloped picture. 'Don't worry, it's just me.'

'No! No way!' Chimed in Jake, a wide grin almost splitting his face in half as he recognized the tone instantly, knowing the Doctor would as well. With that thought he shifted his eyes to the top left of the screen to see the Time Lords expression, which seemed to be stuck in between disbelief, hope and a look Jake knew meant that he was telling himself not to hope.

'What? Who is it?' Martha asked, also glancing up to the Doctor who always had the answers. In the past second his expression had rapidly shifted, after seeing other people react to the voice therefore meaning he was not hallucinating his face showed utter joy and happiness but was also tainted with fear. The one thing that had everyone else shocked into silence was the site of very obvious tears glittering in his usually closed off eyes.

Just as she spoke though the new screen focused and was filled with a picture of the smiling face of a young blonde girl, staring at her webcam and eyes shooting down every few seconds to look at what they all assumed was the Doctors portion of her computer.

'Rose,' the Doctor breathed out in a whisper, a belated and unintentional answer to Martha's question, the emotion in his voice palpable.

She let out a half laugh, half sob at hearing her name pass fron his lips again and though it was the most wonderful sound she had ever heard in her entire life. She brought her hand up to her mouth for a second in amazed half disbelief that this was actually, finally happening, before lowering it to show a grin, even wider, settling on her face.

'Hello,' she stated simply, automatically falling back into their own private routine, as if they had only been separated for a day or two, not years – two very long and unbearably agonizing and lonely years.

'Hello,' he responded, grin also widening a fraction in affection for the beautiful blonde, yet unable to hide or stop the two tears that fell from his eyes.

Rose lifted her hand toward the screen as if to wipe them away but pulled back again, her own tears falling at still being unable to touch him, especially in one of his rare vulnerable moments. Moments that, as she was unaware of, had become more frequent since they had been separated, his armour not being able to totally withstand the severe and crippling pain of losing her.

'Long time no see,' he said jovially, with a conspicuous quiver in his voice, trying to keep the conversation light around all the people that were listening in, but knowing it was pointless – they could only dwell on pleasantries for so long. Especailly with all that had been left unsaid between them.

'Yeah well, you know… Been busy,' she retorted, but was unable to hold up the charade as her grin dropped off into an intense and pain filled look and a single choked up word passed softly from her lips. 'Doctor…'

Everyone watched on, fascinated, afraid to speak and ruin the moment. They had all heard of Rose at one time or another and everyone wanted them to have the reunion they had both so obviously longed for after so long.

Then the intimacy of the next few moments stunned them all into further silence, making them forget for just a few minutes about the Daleks that where threatening their very existence. It felt almost like they were intruding and should look away or leave their rooms but the need to know what happened next between the two people who were so cared about was too strong.

In a movement that was almost perfect simultaneous the Doctor and Rose lifted their hands – the Doctor his right and Rose her left – and laid them on their computer screens, their fingers moving slightly as if in a caress, making them think back to the last time they had been in such a position, not realising they were thinking of the same moment, the same pain. Their eyes shut and they both breathed in deeply, thinking identical thoughts.

The Doctor wanted to feel her small, soft and perfect hand clasped in his securely again, reminding him that she was safe and by his side and she wanted to feel his surrounding hers, squeezing lightly at the exact right time to make her feel safe. He wanted to feel her in his arms, to smell her hair and feel her breathing, totally alive and there with him as she wanted to be engulfed in his arms, to feel the slightly course material of his suit against her face, his hair running through her fingers and the steady thumps of his hearts near her ear.

The Doctors eyes snapped open just as Roses did, not able to stand being so close and yet not touching her, finger nails scrapping against the screen as his hand lowered, as if trying to claw his way through to her. He looked into her pleading eyes and started moving, flicking a few switches on the TARDIS' controls before moving back to the computer.

'I'm coming Rose,' he said, a fiery determination that she recognized and loved burning in his eyes, 'where are you?'

She smiled widely and laughed in happiness, suddenly giddy with excitement. 'I'm at Donna's.'

Just then Wilf thought it was a good moment to stick his head in view of the camera. 'Hello darling,' he said waving at what everyone assumed was Donna.

'Hi granddad, get out of the way will ya,' Donna almost screeched, not wanting to ruin the moment between the Doctor and Rose, knowing how much it meant to both of them.

'Go outside,' the Doctor directed at Rose when the old man moved back, seeing her nod and turn away for the first time. 'Wait!' he called urgently. She turned back instantly, worried and confused.

'What is it Doctor?' she asked hesitantly, her voice still quiet, afraid if she spoke any louder her voice would crack from all the emotion flowing relentlessly through her.

'I won't let you go again without saying it, I swore to myself I wouldn't… Rose Tyler-'

**A/N Now I know that's a crappy place to end it but I've already finished the next chapter and I'll be putting it up tomorrow… in a few hours actually, depending on the sort of response I get to this. Trust me when I say this isn't gonna be a total clique where the first words in the next chapter are "I love you" so please, if you want to know what happens next, review!**


	2. the Reunion

**A/N Oh My God!! My guys are amazing. I woke this morning with 19 e-mails in my imbox, all from i was amazed. Thank-you to everyone who put this story on alert and their favourites list and of course i absolutely loved the reviews, they were amazing. **

**Now this chapter is a little bit OOC of the Doctor so i'm not sure how you guys are gonna like it but i hope you do anyway! So here's the next one, I hope everyone likes it and please keep up with the reviews ''cause they give me incredible amounts of inspiration to write more of the story.**

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**Chapter 2: the Reunion**

_**Previously**_

'_I won't let you go again without saying it, I swore to myself I wouldn't… Rose Tyler-' _

_**Now**_

Everyone drew in a breath, waiting for the one thing they'd never heard him say before to anyone, the intensity of the last few minutes and the passion in his voice leaving some of them (in other words the girls) trying to catch their breath.

But before he could say it Rose held up her hand in a gesture to halt him and softly said 'no.'

Everyone stared in utter disbelief, stunned while the Doctor looked hurt and confused, obviously unable to understand such an order coming from her.

Rose smiled gently in reassurance before taking a deep breath. 'I don't think I could stand not being able to touch you when you finally say it Doctor,' she half whispered, 'not now that we have a choice,' before turning hurriedly away from the computer and walking out of the room.

The Doctor grinning again and also disappeared.

Rose stood on the outside of the doorstep, waiting. Her eyes darted over everything in the deserted street, skipping over the destruction and looking for the familiar and painfully missed blue police box, ears listening intently for the greatest sound in the universe.

She was faintly aware of the presence of Donna's family just behind her, waiting eagerly for her arrival but couldn't bring herself to care or be embarrassed that her and the Doctor would have yet another audience, she knew they would be preoccupied with welcoming her back anyway.

After that thought and not even a full minute of waiting there it was, materializing at the end of the street. She stopped everything; she stopped shifting from foot to foot, stopped fidgetting with her hands and biting her nails in anxiety that came with being away from him, she stopped breathing.

In the same second that the machine stopped shimmering in and out of existence (or so it seemed) they could see a red-headed woman being pushed gently but urgently towards the street outside, making her stumble just slightly, followed by the one person Rose knew she could never again live without.

When he saw her he stopped pushing Donna, who couldn't find it in herself to be annoyed when he was the happiest she had ever seen him, and simply stared at her for a second before spurring into motion.

She started running, dropping her gun onto the asphalt so that she could sprint faster towards him as he did the same, the wide grin she loved so much planted firmly on his face, a bubble of ecstatic laughter bubbling in her throat. She saw from the distance his smile widen even further when she let it loose... he always did like it when she laughed.

Neither of them saw the extreme joy on Donna's face; neither of them saw her features shift into those of horror when a Dalek rounded the corner and turned to face them, pointing its laser at the Doctor; neither noticed when Jack teleported in at just the right second and blew its top off and neither of them cared about anything else as Rose leapt into his arms, legs leaving the ground as he lifted her, playfully swinging her from side to side as they squeezed each other so tight they could barely breath, both making noises at the force of impact and giggling like schoolkids when they finally made the contact they so desperately wished for after so long.

As she stopped swinging neither let go, both afraid that when they did they would wake up from this dream they both had a million times before but realizing that their arms around each other had never felt quite as real or as strong or as perfect until now.

The Doctor buried his face in her neck and hair, breathing in her scent, committing it to memory and felt even more tears pool in his eyes out of joy, his hearts beating erratically as his breath was taken away by the extreme pleasure and contentment consuming his whole body at feeling her so close again.

She wrapped her legs loosely around his so that they were intimately entwined, her feet never touching the ground as her fingers combed through his still perfect and wonderful hair as she pressed her body even closer, lightly gasping air into her lungs.

Suddenly he couldn't resist and with her smell intoxicating him and all around him, the feel of her body as close and pressed up against him he allowed himself to be weak, just this once. In an almost unnoticeable move he finally let his emotions take control of his actions. He tilted his face towards her and ever so slightly pressed his lips against the nape of her neck. He suppressed a shudder of his own when he felt her shiver in response to his unexpected touch, her arms tightening around him just a fraction and tilting her head infinitesimally in invitation.

He lowered her back to the ground, taking a tiny step forward, not allowing any space to come between them while he cupped one side of her head in one hand, the other wrapped securely around her waist, and again lowering his head to the other, placing another light kiss in the same spot, relishing in her taste.

Rose tried to control her breathing and suppress the gasps that waited to escape her as every one of his kisses sent an electric shock through her entire body, her whole being still in somewhat of a shock that he had actually made the first move. But she found herself unable to hold back as he kissed her two more times, no more than a brush of his lips against her skin with the tiniest and most torturous amount of pressure.

Then he pulled back slightly he heard her moan and whimper of protest and smiled as he cupped her face between both of his hands to hold her away, although it pained him to do so.

She still had her eyes closed, relishing the sensation of his every touch. She felt his thumbs tenderly stroking her cheeks as her own hands slid from his back to clutching at the collar of his coat, desperately trying to pull him closer.

'Rose,' he demanded softly, 'look at me.' And she did, of course she did because she would never live without the sight of his amazing face again if she didn't have to. And at that moment, she definitely didn't have to.

He continued caressing her face gently, leaning closer so that his lips were a mere inch from hers. 'Rose Tyler,' the Time Lord said quietly, pausing in anticipation of knowing nothing would stop the words escaping him this time. 'I love you,' he whispered and no truer words had ever passed from his lips he thought as his mouth finally collided with hers, savoring the taste of her lips to remember it forever and thinking that he might go insane if he ever had to go a day without her and this again.

Her arms pulled him closer by his jacket before slipping over his shoulders and into his hair again. She moaned into his mouth as they deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding against hers erotically, without hesitance, in perfect rhythm and his arms clasping tightly around her waist, not leaving a breath of air between their bodies as she stood on her tip-toes to push even more towards him.

He released her mouth and kissed a trail down her neck quickly, needing to feel and flavor of her skin against his impatient lips for a second time.

'Oh God,' she murmured in a moan, her head falling back to encourage him, her hand on the back of his head urging him for more pressure as he nipped gently at her skin, before the need for him overtook her and she pulled his head back to hers and connected their lips once more.

He growled into her mouth, a sound that made an intense and warm feeling flow throughout her, making her entire being tingle in anticipation as he kissed her harder, hands going to her hips to pull her to him tightly, loving the friction between them and the quiet noises he could hear emitting from her.

Finally they both needed to breathe, his respiratory by-pass system not doing much good at standing up to the passion of the moment. He slowed the kiss, pressing his lips to her cheek and neck and sliding his arms back around behind her waist, pulling her into a familiar, if not slightly more intimate, hug, clutching at her fiercely, feeling her cling to him with just as much desperation.

'Rassilon, I love you so much Rose,' he murmured into her neck, reveling in the fact he could finally say those words to her as many times as he wanted.

When she responded her voice was shaky with emotion as she caught her breath. 'I love you to my Doctor… forever yeah?' and he thought those were the most beautiful words he had ever heard, surprising himself by loving the possession in her voice as she called him _hers. Yes, _he thought _I'll be yours Rose, only you. _

'Forever,' he murmured back at her, their old promise that meant even more now than it ever had before, because now they knew what it was to have that forever ripped harshly away from them and they knew within themselves, without any doubt at all, neither would survive being taken away from the other again.

'Sorry to interrupt but we do have a world to save,' Donna's voice broke through their cocoon suddenly and unexpectedly, both forgetting they had an audience as they were thrown back into reality.

The Doctor reluctantly pulled away from Rose but grabbed her hand tightly in his own, needing the physical contact to keep him sane enough to fight the Daleks yet again, knowing she was thinking the same as she stepped into his side and wrapped her other hand around the top of his arm.

'Right. Of course. Sorry!' the Doctor said, back to his old self as a bright, almost blinding, smile graced his features as they turned to face Donna and Jack who were now standing in the doorway to the Noble household with her relatives. 'Allon-sy!'

**A/N So I hope you all liked this, I really have no idea what kind of a response I'll get from it but please be kind if you do review, which I really really hope you do :D I know the Doctor very forward and he would pretty much never actually do that but it just came to me and i had to write it down like that. Please Please Please review!!!! Constructive criticism is welcome.**


	3. the Return

**A/N Thanks everyone, your reviews are awesome and please keep sending them… I'm gonna try to update this story at least once a week but uni. might get in the way … if that happens I might just put up a short chapter or something. So here's the next chapter, hope you like it! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who because if I did Rose would have either not been pulled into the alternate universe or she would have stayed after Journey's End. Grr, wishful thinking.**

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Chapter three: the Return

The Doctor, Rose, Jack and Donna, after a slightly emotional goodbye to Donna's mother and grandfather, were back on the TARDIS. The Doctor and Donna stood once again at the controls where the screen was situated and where conversing with Jack and the others again… or rather Donna was conversing with them, asking questions about them and their time with the Doctor… and if they had any idea what to do next.

The Doctor, while standing right beside her, was not paying any sort of attention to the somewhat random chatter, rather he was grinning and intently watching the girl he hadn't been able to take his eyes off since they had gotten back to Earth.

Rose walked around the TARDIS, once in a while stroking a pillar or part of the control panel, murmuring quiet words to the machine, even giggling at times as though the TARDIS was answering. The Doctor watched, fascinated. He had never seen a human so connected with his ship but even as he watched he could hear their conversation, the TARDIS sending her thoughts to him as well as Rose. Even Donna, who still had some issues with thinking the TARDIS as a living thing couldn't deny there was an awful lot more humming going on and the very atmosphere seemed to lift as soon as the small blonde set foot inside.

The Doctor couldn't tear his eyes away, still unbelieving she was actually there with him, after so… so long. He took note of everything; every change, like how her hair was just a bit longer and her body and face were slimmer and yet just as beautiful, and every little thing that was the same as the last time he'd saw her, before the tragedy of Canary Wharf, like the way she snuck glances at him out of the corner of her eye (although now it was more often than before), and the oh so tempting smile she threw in his direction, tongue peeking out from between her lips.

'Hello old girl,' Rose murmured, lifting a hand to rest against the wonderfully familiar coral pillar of the TARDIS just inside the door, 'I missed you.' She spoke quietly, even though she knew the Doctor could hear every word.

The machine hummed in agreement and Rose could swear she felt the pillar shift slightly under her fingers, as if nuzzling into the contact.

'Did you take care of him for me? You know he's hopeless by himself,' Rose said grinning up at him as he mock frowned indignantly for a moment, but being unable to hold the expression because of the happiness radiating through his every pore at her presence. She understood since she was feeling identical things in that moment and probably would be for quite a while, until it actually sunk in that she had made it back.

_I did the best I could my child… but I'm afraid I was a poor substitute for you… He needs you Rose. _Rose stood shocked for a moment – that was the first time the TARDIS had spoken directly to her – before she smiled again, knowing that he didn't here the last comment.

'Thank-you.'

She walked to the controls and around to where the other two were standing, knowing, by the way he was watching her, that the Doctor had just as much of an idea of what they were talking about as she did. She stood close enough by his side that their shoulders and arms were brushing together and it only took half a second for his hand to slip naturally into hers and squeeze lightly.

He looked down at her and smiled, 'that was long enough I think,' he said. And even though his face was joking she could see the seriousness in his eyes and she nodded, pressing closer into his side and laying her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath – even those few minutes of being away from each other, at least physically, was enough to give both of them shivers, the much needed reassurance of physical contact being relied upon between them even more than before.

After experiencing what it was like to see each other but not being able to touch and after that, not even seeing each other for months and even years, they would never take such a thing for granted again.

'Rose!' Jack cried out when she stopped wondering, stepping forward to pull her into a slightly awkward hug as the two still refused to relinquish contact from each other.

'Hey Jack, it's been a while since I saw that grin,' she laughed back at him, so happy to see the other part of her slightly dysfunctional family again.

'Ianto, Gwen,' Jack said, turning to face his two comrades on screen, 'meet Rose Tyler: defender of the Earth,' he spoke proudly, stealing the Doctors phrase that he had heard him use at one time or another and wrapping an arm around Rose and squeezing her shoulder – before getting a very possessive galre from the Doctor and dropping it immediately.

She waved lightly at them, 'hi,' she said simply, not bothering to lift her head from its very comfortable position of the Doctors shoulder, sighing in contentment when she felt him let go of her hand (with slight protest from her), running it up and down her back for a moment before bringing into her hair to stroke gently, savoring the feeling of the silky locks passing through his fingers.

Suddenly the screen went fuzzy and the Doctor was swiftly alert, straightening his posture, returning to holding Roses hand, eyes searching the screen.

'We lost them,' he said, typing with one hand. 'Hold on,' he drew out the words, tapping frantically at a key. 'No, no, no, no, no! There's another signal coming through, there's someone else out there. Oh that can't be good.' He exclaimed as he realized everyone who could possible know about him and be of help to him he was already in contact with.

'Your voice is different,' came a croaking, ominous but otherwise unfamiliar (to Rose and Donna) voice. 'And yet, its arrogance is unchanged.

Whatever doubts Jack, Rose and Donna had that this suspiciously Dalek sounding voice was a bad thing were erased at the fearful and terror filled gaze the Doctor was directly at the now dark, shadow shrouded screen, his expression and movement frozen in disbelief.

They saw a disgusting looking humanoid in a strange wheelchair roll forward into the light and all they needed was the shining blue light in his forehead to tell them that this… man if he could be called that, was with the Daleks.

'Welcome,' the creature spoke, almost mockingly. 'To my new Empire, Doctor.' Rose felt the hand in hers quiver just slightly and squeezed it hard again, this time receiving no indication he had felt her attempt at reassurance.

Donna screwed up her face in revulsion but didn't step back as she felt the need to, knowing by the look on the Doctors face that he would need all the support they could all give to get through whatever this was… she would not show her fear. She saw Jack step over to her side and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, taking a moment to look down and smile at her, offering her the comfort the other two were unable to give.

'It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race.'

The Doctor stayed frozen with fear and Rose began to get very worried, he never froze like this… ever.

'Doctor?'Donna called out gently to him, her hand on his other arm, trying to somehow ease his pain.

'Have you nothing to say?' the Dalek Lord asked smugly, showing a gruesome smile that made him look even more like a mutant.

'Oh shut up!,' Rose snapped, turning to face Davros for only a second before looking back to the Doctor, hand rubbing up and down his back. No one missed the shocked look on Davros' face at being spoken to in such a way but Rose couldn't bring herself to care… seeing the Doctor the way he was had put her into an extremely protective mood and even though it was probably a terrible idea she couldn't stand the monsters smug and joyful attitude, not when her Doctor was going through such obvious agony.

_Oh I can see why he likes her_, Donna thought impressed at the blondes bravery but realizing it was best not to comment out loud at the fierce, pissed-off expression Rose still had on her face, mutating to one of great concern over the Doctor… this would definitely not be the best time to joke.

Jack just grinned. It was good to have his Rosie back.

'Doctor, it's all right. We're... we're in the TARDIS.' Rose lifted a hand to his cheek ad turned his face towards her, urging him to look at her instead of this thing which had him so scared. 'We're safe.' She spoke with conviction looking into his eyes, reassuring.

'But he was destroyed.' He whispered to her, his eyes wide. 'In the very first year of the Time War, at the Gates of Elysiem,' he babbled slightly, unable to control his own words as the terror flowed through him. The consequences were bad enough last time he had seen this man but now… Rose…

He was brought quit suddenly out of his shocked state by the feeling of Rose's soft lips grazing against his cheek, a gesture to show him that she was fine and so were he and Donna and everyone else. He didn't realize that he had whispered her name out loud.

He quickly snapped back to reality, quickly turning to Donna to make sure she was still and there okay and finding her under the care of a sometimes questionable Captain Harkness, before pulling Rose into him and wrapping his arms around her back, squashing her tightly against his chest, not that she minded. His eyes focused back on the screen as Davros cackled.

'How sweet, has the Doctor fallen in love?' he cackled again. 'Oh we'll have to have some fun with her then.'

Rose felt the Doctor tense in her arms and quickly squeezed his waist, silently telling him to calm down, to not lose it and let the monster win. And so he continued, as if Davros had never spoken, not noticing the smirk Donna couldn't hold back. _Hm, _she couldn't help but think _finally someone who can control him… she'll be handy. _She leaned back so she could see the other girls face, half hidden by the Doctors shoulder, and smiled at her, giving a thumbs up behind his back, not being able to resist trying to lighten things up, even just a tiny bit.

'I saw your command ship flying into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you,' he spoke more confidently now being able to feel Rose all around him and Donna's hand still clasped on his shoulder. He thanked god for them being there knowing that he would not be able to stand here and speak to his enemy so confidently if not for their comfort.

'But it took one stronger than you. Dalek Caan himself.' Davros replied, moving on from tormenting Rose, his voice less arrogant now that he had failed to bait the Doctor.

An insane sounding voice came from off-screen. 'I flew into the wild and fire. I danced and died a thousand times!' Caan said in a sing-song voice, doing the Dalek equivalent of a giggle at the end of his riddle.

'Emergency temporal shift took him back into the Time War itself.'

'But that's impossible; the entire War is time-locked.' The Doctor was angry, disbelieving, the idea of anyone making it seem as though it was just that easy to go back and change time, especially of such a fixed event… No, it was impossible.

'And yet, he succeeded,' Davros shot back, smiling cruelly at the Time-Lord. 'Oh, it cost him his mind, but imagine - a single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations? A new race of Dalek,' he continued, not wanting to be interrupted again. 'I gave myself to them. Quite literally. Each one grown from a cell of my own body.' He pulled the leather suit he was wearing open and revealed his rotten, emaciated form, his ribs and heart visible.

Both Donna and Rose turned away at this, Rose having escaped the almost choking hold the Doctor had on her enough to turn around in his arms… although now she wished she hadn't. They both felt their partners arm/s tighten around them.

'I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now? A _valiant _little girl who will die before this fight is over and friends who are useless against me.' He sneered.

The Doctor felt such rage in him at the words. He new that everyone who were listening were not useless but he couldn't help but think the last time Rose's death had been prophesized the creature had been right. He let his arms fall from around her, once again picking up her hand as he bent closer to the screen, anger and a fierce protectiveness burning in the depths of his eyes. That wouldn't happen again he swore.

'After all this time... everything we saw, everything we lost... I have only one thing to say to you. BYE!' He shouted with a distinctly manic air to his voice, pulling a lever and making the entire TARDIS lurch aggressively.

Donna knew the last comment the creator had made had been just a step too far for the Time Lord to handle. She had seen his eyes and face change as he insulted them, she even had to refrain from taking another step back even though it was quite obvious those emotions weren't directed at her.

Rose shivered pulling away from the Doctor and staring fearfully into his eyes. Donna and Jack looked over to see identical tears glistening in their eyes, another sort of fear seeming to overcome both of them now… one that was almost more intense than the last.

'Doctor,' Rose spoke in a cracked voice barely above a whisper. 'It's happening again.'

**A/N I'm not so sure about the whole chapter… I don't think I wrote it very well and I'm sorry it wasn't changed very much. The only thing I like about it is the ending. I'm really not happy with this chapter so I hope you guys liked it better than I do and I hope everyone likes my next chapters more. It'll be changing more in the next chapter.**


	4. the Valiant Child

**A/N Everyone knows what happens with everyone after the chat with Davros so I'm not going to re-write it because I want it all to stay the same and I just want to get on with the story. Also sorry, didn't have time to proof-read these two so i don't know how many mistakes are in them, hopefully not to many.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who because if I did Rose would have either not been pulled into the alternate universe or she would have stayed after Journey's End. Grr, wishful thinking.**

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Chapter 4: the Valiant Child

_**Previously**_

_Rose shivered pulling away from the Doctor and staring fearfully into his eyes. Donna looked over to see identical tears glistening in their eyes, another sort of fear seeming to overcome both of them now… one that was almost more intense than the last._

'_Doctor,' Rose spoke in a cracked voice barely above a whisper. 'It's happening again.'_

**Now**

The Doctor stepped forward and, verging on violence, he grabbed the top of Rose's arms eyes blazing and Donna was amazed to find this was the first time she had ever seen him direct anger at Rose, even when he was only remembering her before all this had happened.

'Rose look at me,' he demanded as she stared at the TARDIS' grates, slowly raising her fearful eyes to his. His features immediately softened and he stroked her cheek, still gripping her other shoulder firmly. 'It is _not _happening again, he was just trying to bait me… I won't let you go.' He said with passion before pulling her into a familiar and bone crunching hug that she welcomed freely, craving his arms around her every second and only wished – as she stood in his warm embrace in the idle of all this chaos – that she had come at a better time and they didn't have to worry about fighting and war and running for their lives.

Donna watched, amazed at how often those two could make her feel like she was intruding by standing meters away in a room that was for common use.

'Sorry to interrupt,' she spoke a bit more quietly than usual, this time actually sounding sorrier than she had last time. They pulled away and the Doctor nodded at her to continue. 'I was just wondering… where exactly are we?'

'Good question,' Jack chimed in, snapping out of his "happy daze" at watching his two friends together again.

'We are being pulled into them that what the jerk was – all I did was turn the screen off,' he admitted, slightly sheepishly '… but we've only got a few minutes so no body panic and just listen to me.' He turned to Jack. 'What do you know?'

'There's a massive Dalek ship at the centre of the planets. They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination.' He stated simply, figuring it was best to get the information out simple and fast before they ran out of time.

The Doctor turned back to Rose, this time his face concentrated. 'Rose! You've been in a parallel world, that world's running ahead of this universe - you've seen the future, what was it?'

'It's the darkness,' she responded quietly, not quite sure what else to say, it was bad enough the first time… but she knew, this time she wasn't alone – the hand that was grasping her own demonstrated that, now that it was finally there and not just a wishful figment of her imagination.

'The stars were going out,' Donna stated, remembering from her time in the parallel world.

Rose nodded gravely looking at the woman she had already found a friend in. 'One by one. We looked up at the sky and they were just dying. Basically, we've been building this um... this travel machine, this... uh... Dimension Cannon, so I could... well, so I could...' she stumbled over her words, not quite sure why she was embarrassed over them, or even if embarrassment was what she was feeling as she looked back up at the man she had done all this for.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows, lips forming into a cheeky half smile. 'What?'

'So I could come back to you,' she said, smiling with her tongue between her teeth, the way she knew he liked, giggling just slightly at the impossibility of this conversation.

The Doctor beamed and laughed happy to see the smile brighten her face again and overwhelmingly happy to hear her say it even though he already knew.

Rose slapped him lightly on the arm, unable to wipe the smile from her face as they fell back into their old, easy banter.

'Shut up!' she exclaimed playfully, before coming back to a somewhat composed and serious state. Anyway, suddenly, it started to work. And the dimensions started to collapse.'

'Not just in our world - not just in yours - but the whole of reality, even the Void was dead. Something is destroying everything,' the Doctor added on the end, smile fading back into nothing as he ran a frustrated hand though his hair.

They all sat in silence for a second, merely staring at each other.

'Well-'Jack began, before the computer cut him off, beeping.

'The Dalek Crucible.' The Doctor stated unnecessarily. 'All aboard.'

They landed with a crash, everyone experienced enough not to fall over but all stumbling slightly at the force.

The Doctor looked at them. 'We've got to go out, or they'll come in.'

They all let the gravity of the situation clam in on them for a second, needing to steel themselves before being able to face his… their biggest enemy all over again or in Donna's case – finally.

'I thought nothing could get though those doors,' Rose said, almost conversationally.

'You've got extrapolator shielding.' Jack added.

'Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers and hybrids and mad. But this is a fully fledged Dalek Empire... at the height of its power.' He took a breath, once again mussing his hair roughly, blowing the wind out through his mouth. 'They're Experts at fighting TARDISes, they can do anything. Right now, that wooden door is only wood.'

The tiny ray of hope that was shining in their eyes gave out and Rose wrapped her arms around herself, shivering again. Her pleading eyes searching his desperately, knowing that this time he couldn't give her what her needed.

'I don't want to do this again,' she whimpered as memories flashed through her head of her hand slipping and the combined screams of hers ande the Doctors, getting further and further apart. Unable to take it she threw her arms around him, kissing his neck just once to reassure herself, knowing in that moment anything else would be inappropriate.

Donna and Jack stood just apart from them, just watching.

Rose pulled away again suddenly and spun slightly on her feet, looking around the TARDIS. She could have sworn she had heard a heartbeat…

The Doctor touched her elbow. 'Rose, are you alright?' She just nodded distantly.

'What about your Dimension Jump?' Jack suggested, knowing she would probably kill him just for bringing it up. He knew that even though she said she didn't want to do it she would go through it all again if it meant staying by the Doctors side.

Rose turned to him sharply. 'I'm not leaving.' She said firmly, not bothering to come up with an excuse. Nothing would take her away this time.

'Right then. All of us together, yeah.' The Doctor said, taking the lead once again, not mentioning Jacks teleporter, knowing he'd be coming along if everyone else was, he wouldn't abandon them.

Even during the conversation Rose was sure she could hear a heartbeat, it was faint in the background… almost like it was coming from inside her own head, calling out to her.

All three of them now stood in front of the Doctor, looking to him confidently, trusting him.

'So Daleks,' Jack said, heaving out a nervous chuckle.

'Yeah, but it's been good hasn't it.' The Doctor said. 'All of us… All of it… Everything we did.' He turned to Donna now, staring at her intensely. 'You were brilliant.'

Her smile widened and she nodded at him, raising a hand in a mock-salute, which got her a tiny scowl. 'Super-temp at your service.'

He smiled and turned, passing Rose who was in the middle and turning directly to Jack. 'And you, although I hate to admit it, were brilliant.' He clapped him on the shoulder affectionately.

'You know me,' the Captain responded grinning, before adopting a more serious expression. 'Thank you Doctor.'

The Time Lord nodded and turned slowly; bring up a hand to lovingly stroke the beautiful blondes cheek. 'And you Rose Tyler… You were absolutely fantastic,' he said, gulping as she raised her hand to cover his on her face, holding it there and turning her head to kiss his palm.

She looked up at his face and drew him a bit closer, a warning in her eyes. 'You better not be trying to say goodbye,' she spoke as her voice quivered.

He smiled his sad smile at her, the one she had last seen on the worst day of her life on Bad Wolf Bay. 'Of course not… you know I'm no good at those.'

She nodded pathetically and he put his hand around her neck, pulling her in so his lips could meet hers.

It only lasted a few seconds but they both put everything into it… every thing except good bye.

'Blimey,' the Doctor breathed out, only half joking. He stepped around them and opened the TARDIS doors, trusting them to follow him.

First went jack, then Donna – none of them noticed Rose taking a single step before stopping, entering something like a trance.

Metallic and malicious voices rang out around them. 'Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks!' The phrase was repeated, again and again as the three of them looked around the massive ship, dread filling them, even more so than before. The Doctor kept his hands securely in his pockets to keep them from shaking.

He took one out as one of them talked to him –

'Behold, Doctor. Behold the might of the true Dalek Race.'

- reaching for the hand that he knew would be there waiting… except it wasn't. Shocked and scared he turned back to the TARDIS to see Rose just inside the doorway, looking out at them, frightened about something… something other than the obvious.

'Rose?' He called, causing Donna and Jack to turn also, frowning as they caught sight of her.

'It's no safer in there you know,' Donna said, not understanding what the blonde was doing.

The Doctor frowned. 'That's not it.' He took a step forward but with a violent _crack _the TARDIS doors closed and locked with Rose still on the inside.

'ROSE!' All three of them called as one, the Doctors shout the loudest. He ran to his machine and banged furiously on the door. He hit it, kicked it, anything to get in... this couldn't happen. He wouldn't let it!

'DOCTOR!!' He could hear her just on the other side of the door, banging on her side just as hard as he was on his side – and considering he was a Time Lord and even his hands were hurting he could only imagine what she was doing to herself.

'What did you do?! Open the door!' he screamed desperately at the supreme Dalek, his voice growing hoarse.

He could hear her banging lessen, no doubt her hands becoming too sore and the hopelessness becoming too much. He could hear her sobs and it broke his heart.

'You promised me no goodbyes!' She shouted from inside, falling to her knees at the door, still pushing her hands weakly against it.

'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,' the Time Lord couldn't stop the sob that erupted from him and could hear the gasps of his companions at seeing him in such a state.

'Stop it! She's my friend. Now, open the door and let her out. She's everything,' he pleaded with the Dalek, knowing how utterly pointless it was and falling to his knees, both hands pressed against the blue wood.

'This is Time Lord treachery!' the thing screeched and now he couldn't be bothered answering back by pointed out the stupidity of the statement, he knew he only had seconds left.

'Rose,' he did not speak quietly this time, needing her to hear him and not caring what the others heard. 'I'll save you, do you hear me?' He pleaded with her to answer him.

'Yes.' When she answered her voice came from the exact same spot on her side that he was leaning against on his, still full of trust, even though she knew he was swearing the impossible. _Nothings impossible, _something in the back of her mind taunted. Simultaneously, without knowing, they both pushed against the wood, cheeks resting sideways on their sides thinking maybe if they stayed long enough they would be able to feel each other.

We both heard what the supreme Dalek said next. 'The TARDIS is a weapon and it will be destroyed.'

'No,' he moaned against the door, banging weakly against it just once more.

'I love you Doctor,' she cried, 'I'm sorry it won't be forever like I promised.'

As soon as the last syllable passed her lips a trapdoor opened and the TARDIS fell through, dropping down in less than a milli-second and the Doctor fell forwards onto it as it closed. He stayed there on all fours, trying to control the hysterical sobs that threatened to burst from him as he experienced pain worse than anything he could remember as his hearts broke.

Donna and jack watched it all in devastated silence, knowing there was nothing they could do. They watched as the Doctor fell and didn't get back up and neither could help thinking that maybe, just maybe this was finally it. The thing that finally destroyed and broke him.

The thing he didn't get back up from.

'The Crucible has a heart of Z-Neutrino Energy. The TARDIS will be deposited into the core,' the cruel Dalek transmitted emotionlessly. And yet he still gained no reaction from the Doctor.

He knew Daleks never said things they didn't mean, he knew their luck had run out when he spoke of destroying the TARDIS, and he didn't want to hear details of how the love of his life and existence would burn to death – the very image made him want to vomit.

'Stop it!' Donna screamed, not willing to give up yet.

'You can still get her out of there,' Jack yelled at the Dalek with her, knowing it was pointless but willing to try anything for Rose, and the Doctor.

'The female and the TARDIS will perish together! Observe.' The Dalek said, completely ignoring the fact that either of them had spoken and bringing up a hologram screen. 'The last child of Gallifrey is powerless.'

The Doctor finally moved from his position on the floor, dragging himself up. But when he turned to them his eyes were empty, face red and awash with tears. His glassy eyes slid over them to the hologram and he walked towards it, reaching up a hand as if he could do something.

'Please. I'm begging you,' the Doctor spoke, his voice raspy and low. 'I'll do anything!' he once again pleaded with the Dalek, no longer caring about dignity or pride or power – they were all meaningless if he didn't have Rose there to share it with. 'Put me in her place! You can do anything to me, I don't care, just get her out of there!'

But there were no more words spoken and they watched as the TARDIS burned.

Every passing second saw the Doctor grow weaker, his will to even continue standing leaving him as he once more collapsed to his knees as the TARDIS disappeared.

His life long companion and the love of his everything blinked out of existence and it was like the world didn't care. Time didn't slow down, the Daleks didn't stop their chanting, now distant in his mind and his existence didn't end. But he knew it should have because now…

Now it just didn't have meaning. And with that the last of his mercy drained away.

**A/N PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I'm really not sure about these chapters and want to know what every thinks! So come on now – two chapters in a row has got to get me some extra!! :P Thanks for reading. **


	5. the Guardian

**A/N Okay, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT NOTE: To any old-school fans who have seen all the old episodes and know about the people I mention in this chapter: sorry if I completely mess up the whole idea of what they are and everything but I wanted to do something different and so I twisted them to suit my purposes – I know a lot of what I say in this chapter probably isn't factually true, in accordance with the show, but I thought it was a good idea anyway.**

**To those of you who haven't seen them: Don't worry, you don't really have to have seen them to understand this chapter… just the part about the man knowing the Doctor but that isn't that important.**

**Also I'm really sorry about there being no Doctor in this chapter but I'll probably put up the next one in the next two days to get on with it, I just really wanted to explain this bit well.**

**So yeah: Please enjoy, I hope I don't let anyone down and, as always: REVIEW! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who because if I did Rose would have either not been pulled into the alternate universe or she would have stayed after Journey's End. Grr, wishful thinking.**

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Chapter 5: the Guardian

Rose was thrown violently down onto the grating as the TARDIS dropped, into what exactly she could only guess. She threw her arms out in front of her, hands slamming painfully into the floor as fire started erupting around the room and the ground grew hotter to the touch.

Tears streamed down her face as everything rushed through her mind in a second flat; the thought of dying, of never seeing the Doctor again, never being able to kiss or hold him again. The thought of the beautiful ship she was inside burning along with her, the fire taking down the Doctors oldest friend.

_No. This can't happen_, she thought, struggling to her feet and stumbling to the console, hitting buttons and slamming her hands down around it helplessly.

'Come on!' she screamed towards the centre that usually glowed a brilliant blue-green. 'Get us out of here!'

A low, pain-filled groan emitted from the ship, a clear sign that the old-girl just couldn't do what Rose was asking of her. She knew the fact that the TARDIS had lost the ability to communicate telepathically with her, only able to use the noises she used to communicate with his other companions to speak, was a sign that it would soon be over.

The young girl fell to her knees in sobs, still clutching the sides of the controls above her head, fingers turning white as she gripped the console out of fear and desperation, thinking of the Doctor, seeing his face in her mind – her sobs increasing at the thought of never seeing him again.

So lost was she in her despair that it took her a full second to notice that the moment she fell to her knees the ground had stopped shaking, the noises coming from the TARDIS had stopped and the sound of things crashing down around her had come to a halt.

Her head snapped up and as she saw her surroundings she stumbled back to her feet, stepping back a few paces in complete and utter disbelief.

The flames that had been started remained around the room, but they did not flicker or sway or grow. The pieces of the crumbling TARDIS were suspended in mid-fall just as the smoke from the flames was suspended in mid-air. She gaped at it, tears stopping - her confusion and shock too great to allow any other emotions through.

'I suppose you are wondering what's happening,' came a voice from behind her. She spun quickly on the spot, eyes meeting a figure standing on the other side of the TARDIS, a few meters away from the controls.

He was old, at least 60… from what she could tell. He wore a white, buttoned-up suit with two small pinned-on red flowers on the lapel and a beige brimmed hat. She backed up another step, cautious but finding herself wondering who would transport themselves there in the first place.

'I assure you I am nothing to fear child.' He spoke again, not moving from his place and looking rather indifferent to everything going on round him.

Finally finding her voice Rose found herself angry, she didn't like not knowing what was going on… not any more. 'What the bleedin' hell is going on?' she demanded in a voice that sounded a lot more confident than she really was. 'What have you done? Why's nothin' moving?' She finished, slightly hysterical as she gestured to the hovering objects above their heads.

'I shall explain,' he said calmly, almost as if he was ignoring her little speech. 'But I do not wish to be interrupted.' When he was met with silence he continued. 'Who I am does not concern you; it is what I am doing here that does. To put it in a way that might make you pay closer attention to the rest of what I have to say… I knew the Doctor once a very long time ago – or I'm sure it seems that way to him.'

Rose looked up, not sure whether she should dare to hope, just to have it crushed if this somehow turned out to be another trick from the Daleks or something. Ideas crowded her mind but her mouth remained closed, wanting to hear his full explanation before deciding. What could she do anyway? She looked down at her feet. After years of working with Torchwood she did not like the feeling of being helpless.

'I have recently come into full possession of a rather valuable and dangerous item that is known as the "Key to Time".' He paused here, as if waiting for some sort of recognition but continued in a stoic expression when her facial features did not even twitch at its mention. 'This device has the power, when absolutely necessary, to stop everything for a moment… just a moment, but then when time comes to a stop a moment can last forever.' At this the corner of his mouth turned up just slightly. 'If the carrier is knowledgeable enough he or she can extend that moment as I am doing now.' He paused here, allowing time for the human to take in everything she was being told, but was surprised when she jumped straight in with a question, she was faster than he had thought… perhaps the Doctor wasn't as crazy as he thought, associating with humans.

Rose felt as though if she intervened here she wouldn't get her head bitten off and so she spoke quickly. 'But why?' And then she surprised the man further. 'Something that powerful, and you said yourself it's dangerous… it can't come without some sort of side-effect or somethin'?' Her words coming out as more of a question than a statement.

'Yes, that would be true unless it is used in the direst of circumstances. But you see the Doctor is breaking. His control, his mercy and his compassion are slipping, everything that makes him who he is… or was. Before the Time War this would have made no difference to the rest of the world but being the Last of the Time Lords he is also entrusted with the title of Protector because there is no other that could, or would, do the things he does constantly. This universe needs the Doctor and the Doctor needs you – therefore we shall give you to him.' The man raised his arm high in an ominous gesture.

She threw her own arms up in front of her in a sort of protection she knew would be useless against anything he could do to her, especially if he was telling the truth. 'WAIT!'

Of course she wanted to go back to the Doctor, if that was indeed what he was suggesting, but she needed to know what exactly was going to happen to her first. She rushed her words as he looked up at her in annoyance. 'First I want to know who you are and how you can do this and second I want to know how exactly you are going to get me back to the Doctor… that is what you're going to do yeah?' She ended, insecurity peeking through her otherwise strong façade.

'Very well but I must hurry,' he spoke, lowering his arm again. 'I am a guardian. We and the Eternals exist beyond time and therefore must control the balance of what you might call the "status-quo" of the universes – we are immortal.' Her eyes widened as she thought of the implications of what he had said. As far as she understood, not even the Time Lords had that sort of power.

Her eyes shifted as the man… the guardian pointed to something to the ground of the TARDIS. 'When the Doctor received his hand back he didn't think about what it might hold inside. It is a limb that has been preserved since it was part the way through a regeneration cycle and so it still retained some of the power or essence of regeneration. It contains a certain amount of the same energy that gives the Time Lords the ability to cheat death and when Donna Noble set foot aboard this ship a fraction of her Huon particles were set free into the air, being a human she obviously could not contain them properly throughout the activation process.'

Rose looked at him confused, how had Donna just been pulled into the conversation? 'What has this got to do with getting me back to the Doctor?'

The man chuckled condescendingly at her. 'Getting you back will take to milli-second to achieve it is what I will do before you go back that is important. As I said, the world needs the Doctor and the Doctor needs you – it is no longer a want, since the first connection you shared, what you refer to as a kiss, you were bonded, and with your death comes the destruction of the Doctor.' He saw her about to interrupt again and rushed on. 'Not by outside influences but by his own doing. He may continue to live on but even when Gallifrey still existed a true bonding was very rarely witnessed and interspecies-bondings up till now have been impossible, or have been assumed to be. Usually the living party would live on, eventually move on but would never share the same connection with anyone else. But by the losses he has already suffered this is the one that would lead to his final obliteration. Because of all this we can not allow you to remain as… mortal as you are now. You must live alongside the Doctor until his time runs out, then and only then may you leave this world.'

'What and don't I have any say in this?' Although her tone was harsh inside her heart filled with hope. Her eyes had once again filled with tears as she heard about what he would go through, what she realized he WAS going through now, but the idea of being able to stay with him for a real forever, being able to keep her promise… the reality of it was beyond her wildest dreams.

'You cannot hide your feel emotions from me; I already know you will agree. But we must finish this now,' he said, his tone turning urgent. He raised his hand again and drew it back down, clawing the air as if a draw something out of it. And as he did, in his upturned palm a misty ball of all too familiar golden light gathered, shimmering powerfully, coming from different points in the TARDIS, a fair amount being dragged from the hand that still lay on the ground.

'This is the Huon particles – so ancient and everlasting that their, when used properly can help to extend the span of a life form - and regeneration energy combined. It will be absorbed into you and contained so that you may control it better than average humans would. You will still be human; you will not regenerate because the energy will be always inside of you, protecting and healing you – if you are fatally wounded it will only take a small amount of time for them to rejuvenate you. There are other things that will come with this but we have no more time. Use this gift wisely Rose Tyler, no other human has ever meant as much to the universe as you do and we are not in the habit of helping lower-beings, count yourself blessed Wolf.'

She blinked in surprise at the nickname and any remaining doubts left her as she braced herself, seeing the light moved from his hand and drift towards her. 'One last thing then yeah? What was that heart beat I kept hearing before?' She said, surprised that she had even remembered after all this.

'That was the TARDIS. She knew something was going to happen and was calling out, trying to warn you. Next time I'd mention it to the Doctor, he would've known.' She could not stop the slight blush that came with the reprimand and started to get slightly giddy as she knew she got minutes closer to seeing her Doctor again and never having to leave his side again.

Then the light covered her skin, almost like it was attaching itself to her on the outside, just like a new layer of skin. The shimmering calmed as it settled over her, but it was only a second before her entire boy began to burn. She looked up at the man, who seemed to be less solid than he was a second ago.

'It will burn like the sun but your body will shut itself down before it becomes unbearable. When you wake up you will be given temporary knowledge, enough so that you can return to your Time Lord but after that you will have to relearn that knowledge.'

The pain intensified, seeping below her skin. She glanced down and saw the light sink underneath her skin, being absorbed through her pores, invisible tongues of flame licked at her body and she fell to the grating, curling up to stop her scream of agony escape.

The man face was suddenly above her, swimming in and out of her vision. 'I will send you into the Vortex until then. Tell the Doctor the White Guardian assembled the key and returned the loyalty he was shown. You will both figure out the rest. Goodbye Wolf.'

With that he was gone and she was left alone as the sound came roaring back all around her, the TARDIS humming in confusion for probably the first time in her life… or existence. The last thing Rose heard was the beautiful sounds of the ship being transported into the Vortex and the feel of the shaking stop as her eyes closed and darkness claimed her, just as she thought "_Other things will come with this?" Why did he have to be so cryptic?_

**A/N So, information heavy a bit and again; sorry to any old-school fans who know that I probably just massacred the whole idea of the Guardians and Eternals, I just wanted to do something different – I wasn't to concerned with sticking to their actual stories and abilities etc. Please, I am hanging out for your reviews. The past two weeks have been stressful because I couldn't decide what to do with this chapter since I really wanted to do something different instead of just saying it was Bad Wolf again. Reviews are love! :D**


	6. the Rage

**A/N Okay, so this took a tiny bit longer than I thought and it took me hours to write. I didn't think it would be this long but before I started writing I didn't expect to have to include so much to get my point across. Oh well, so here it is, hope you all enjoy it!**

**Thank you soooooo much for all the reviews, alert and adding to favourite, its amazing how many people are responding and I'm so glad everyone likes it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who because if I did Rose would have either not been pulled into the alternate universe or she would have stayed after Journey's End. Grr, wishful thinking.**

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Chapter 6: the Rage

'Activate the holding cells,' Davros' chilling voice rang out through the dungeon.

Donna glances over at the Doctor, almost ready to burst into tears at the way things had turned out.

Jack was dead, "exterminated" after he flew into a rage at Roses death and now they were trapped in a room with a clearly insane and demented man, if you could call him that, and more than a few Daleks.

But on a normal day none of that would be enough to scare her or to make her lose hope – but just looking at the Doctor now was enough for both of those things to happen… almost.

When the TARDIS disappeared into the fire the Doctor had collapsed to the ground and since his last desperate attempt to plead with the supreme Dalek and the four words he said to her as she lifted him from the ground he hadn't spoken a word.

When the supreme Dalek had them taken there she practically had to drag him from the floor and as they walked she never once took her hand off his arm, for fear he might crumble again. And for the past… however long it had been, never once had he risen his eyes from an invisible spot on the floor just in front of him.

Through all the time she had travelled with him it was always his eyes that told her what to expect or how to act around him. The first instance she could remember was the first time she had ever met him.

She had been so angry, not willing to listen to a word her "abductee" said. She had picked up the shirt and had heard his voice drop an octave as she accused him but she didn't care - she wouldn't let herself be tricked by such a freak.

It was only when she looked up at him to try and decipher his meaning of the word _lost _that she saw how the light had gone out of his eyes that had been there a second ago, as dulled as it already was. They then stared at her in hopeless agony and as she stared into their depths she almost felt like she could feel him drowning within himself, unable and unwilling to resurface without this girl that clearly meant so much to him.

After that it happened all the time; she knew just by looking him in the eye when they landed in the wrong place or era. She knew when to run for her life and when to start or stop talking. And very soon she learnt to try and steer clear of the topic of Rose because while she thought maybe he needed to talk about it she couldn't stand seeing the pain in his face at the mere mention of her name.

The last instance was not even an hour ago in that other room, when she had approached him to lift him from the ground as he looked unable to do it himself – a strange thought to have about a man who always seemed so strong.

She had knelt down beside him, grasping his right arm and meaning to say something in an attempt to comfort him when he looked up for just a second into her eyes and her breath was stolen, her heart breaking for this man she cared so much about.

And he had whispered those four words with such possession and need that she feared that look would never leave his expression again.

"_My TARDIS… My Rose," barely a whisper from a dead mans lips._

This time it wasn't fear or agony or a breaking heart she saw in his chocolate brown orbs – it was nothing. It was the void. It was something so far beyond the grasp of human emotion that she didn't know how to react but almost backed up in fear and had the nearly irresistible urge to empty her stomach there and then. She couldn't imagine losing her love and oldest friend – for that's what the TARDIS really was – all at once, especially after just being reunited.

When she looked at him now, standing solitary only a couple of meters away she could still see that his eyes were mostly unchanged, but she had been watching and had noticed one tiny difference most would have missed.

The more the Daleks or Davros spoke the stronger a spark of anger ignited in his eyes. While Donna knew that pure, unadulterated Time Lord anger could not be a good thing, anything had to be better than the blackness she had seen before.

'Excellent,' Davros continued in a gleeful, mocking tone. 'Even when powerless, a Time Lord is best contained. And it was just so easy.' Donne glared at him with everything inside her.

'And bet you're still afraid though,' she sneered at him, sounding more confident than she felt. 'Somewhere in that rotting carcass of yours.' For once she knew it was her who was going to have to keep up the conversation – she couldn't rely on the Doctor to keep up his half, and most of the time more than, of the banter.

She reached up and lightly flicked the barrier surrounding her, testing tentatively, making sure it wouldn't electrocute her or anything if she touched it.

Davros seemingly ignored her comment, but his expression didn't hold that same, sick sort of happiness. 'It is time we talked, Doctor, after so very long—'he spoke facing the Doctor as if still expecting a response.

'No, no, no, no, no,' Donna cut in again, this time gaining the mutants attention as he wheeled around to face her curiously. 'We're not doing the pondering over fond memories bit so you can just skip it. I want to know what's happening right here, right now, 'cos the Supreme Dalek said 'vault', am I right?' she held up a finger and continued without letting him speak, not wanting to break the roll she was on. 'As in dungeon. Cellar. Prison,' she states, looking around boredly at their surroundings, still shooting worried and probing looks in the Doctors direction, hoping she was being subtle as she wanted to keep the attention away from him for as long as possible.

_  
_'You're not in charge of the Daleks, are you? They've got you locked away down here in the basement, like, what, a servant? Slave? Court jester? So much for being such a high and mighty _creator,' _she returned his own mocking back at him.

'We have... an arrangement.' Davros commented unconvincingly, as if he had a say in this arrangement. Donna had to suppress a snort at this but couldn't hold back her incredulous laugh.

'Yeah sure you mutant freak… Oh wait,' she held her arms up as if she just had a wonderful epiphany. 'I've got it! You're the Dalek's pet!'

'You are full of fire for a human and he seems to have lost his. Why bother trying so hard like this when he obviously cares not for you if he can't even face me to save you. All he cares about is the dead one, you don't mat-'but he was cut off.

'Leave her alone.' There was no pleading in his voice, only a cold fury that demanded to be obeyed – even Donna could not suppress a shudder, though it was her he was defending.

'_Oh and he awakens at last. _She is mine Doctor and I will do as I please.' Davros cackled just slightly, although his wariness seemed to be back.

'Then why am I still alive?' Donna asked, only half curious, watching out of the corner of her eye for any movement from the Doctor to indicate some sort of – any sort of – plan. But even when he spoke he hadn't looked up.

'You do not matter and as you care so much for your precious Doctor I thought it would be nice for you to be here to see his downfall – to watch his pathetic human emotions crush him in a thousand pieces as I destroy everything that ever mattered to him.' Donna couldn't stand the look on his face as he spoke. 'Besides, the prophecies of Dalek Caan suggest there is some reason for you to be here – although after this pathetic display perhaps it was only to be his voice… you can not be the fire Caan so often speaks about.'

She saw his armored fingers push some of the buttons on his control panel and a great beam of light descended on a space in the back of the room – showing the unprotected Dalek Caan.

'So cold and dark. Fire is coming... the endless flames...'

_What the hell, _she couldn't help but think. How could anyone make sense out of such ramblings? 'It's insane!' She yelled at Davros. 'I don't care what that thing is but I highly doubt you can trust its word. This must be a new low for the Daleks, relying on insanity to lead them. Who's pathetic now Davros?' She taunted, unable to stop herself even though she knew provocation was probably a terrible idea.

He is the last of the Cult of Skaro.'

'Is that supposed to mean something to me?' She asked sarcastically.

'He flew into the Time War, unprotected. He saw Time. Its infinite complexity and majesty raging through his mind. And he saw you. Both of you. All of you.' Davros raved, almost as if he himself worshipped the other Dalek.

'This I have foreseen in the wild and the wind.' Caan continued in his riddles, his tone almost sounding as though he was fishing for a reaction, directing his words straight at the Doctor. 'The Doctor will be here, as witness, at the end of everything. The Doctor and his precious Children of Time!' The Dalek giggle insanely. 'And one of them will die!'

Finally a reaction was drawn and the Doctor raised his head, looking darkly at the tiny figure, eyes burning. 'Was it you?' He spoke between clenched teeth, almost spitting the words out like it caused him pain to even acknowledge the being that took his everything away from him. 'Did you do this?'

At this point Donna was even surprise he had thought to ask without ripping the foul little creature apart, because she was sure he was capable of it, even with the barrier.

When he gained no response his voice rose to louder than she had even heard come from his mouth. 'TELL ME!'

'Oh, that's it,' Davros spoke almost in awe as he stared at the Doctors face. 'The end, the fire, the rage of a Time Lord who butchered millions. There he is. Why so shy? Show your companion... show her your true self.' The Doctor stayed silently but Donna saw and heard that his breathing became uneasy and she knew that he was losing it. This would be it. 'Dalek Caan has promised me that, too. You will lose yourself to the rage, the all consuming anger and hate.'

'I have seen it. At the time of-'

'SHUT UP!' the Doctor roared, his chest heaving now is suppressed emotion. 'No more riddles Davros, what does he mean?'

'We will discover it together... our final journey. Because the ending approaches. The testing begins.' He turned a face something else again, and neither of them liked the connotations of his last sentence.

'Testing of what,' Donna asked suddenly, afraid.

'The reality bomb,' the monster answered. Donna, confused, looked over at the Doctor for some sort of conformation, only to see him looking at Davros, a horrified look on his face, the first real emotional look he's had since this all started beside murderous rage.

'Z-Neutrino Energy.' He whispered, panic entering his expression. 'No. Davros, you can't! You CAN'T! NO!' Donna knew this was one time she wouldn't get an explanation but at that moment she didn't care because if the Doctor still had enough of himself inside that he still cared about the fate of human-kind she knew there was hope. The only thing was that now she didn't know if he had any of the reservations he had before and a Time Lord with nothing to lose, one that doesn't care about the rules of the universe that they are suppose to follow, it a dangerous being, she didn't need anyone to tell her that to figure it out.

'Every atom in existence is bound by an electrical field. The Reality Bomb cancels it out - structure falls apart. That test was focused on the prisoners alone. Full transmission will dissolve every form of matter.' Davros burst into an explanation without prompt and Donna felt her fear grow as the "test" was completed.

But then she remembered. 'The stars are going out,' she whispered, just loud enough for the others to hear. 'That's what she said.' Her gaze flickered once again to the Doctor face and knew instantly she had made a mistake. Even at the indirect mention of her his gaze was once again cold and lifeless, directed at the floor. When he spoke again she hardly even recognized his voice.

'The twenty-seven planets. They become one vast transmitter. Blasting that wavelength.' He spoke as if he didn't really care, but she knew he did, somewhere inside he still did and she clung to that thought, not wanting the last of her hope to slip away.

'Across the entire universe. Never stopping. Never faltering. Never fading. People and planets and stars will become dust. And the dust will become atoms and the atoms will become... nothing. And the wavelength will continue, breaking through the Rift at the heart of the Medusa Cascade into every dimension, every parallel, and every single corner of creation.' As this he became almost hysterical. 'This is my ultimate victory, Doctor! The destruction of reality itself!' Davros ended in a manic shout and victory.

Suddenly all noise ceased as a massive screen appear in mid-air and a very familiar face popped up and Donna couldn't help but sigh in relief at even seeing someone else on their side.

'This message is for the Dalek Crucible. Repeat: can you hear me?' Martha spoke clearly, hopefully.

'Put me through,' the Doctor demanded quietly, his tone defeated, a quake tremor somewhere in its depths waiting for the next trigger to come bursting forth.

For a reason Donna both understood and questions Davros did as the Doctor said without argument and Caan still remain silent, a resounding murmur escaping him every once in a while.

'Doctor! I'm sorry. I had to.' Martha began quickly with an explanation to something they didn't even know about yet.

Donna waited as she looked directly at the Doctor for the first time. She waited for the realization that something was very wrong, that something had happened that couldn't be fixed.

Martha took in his downcast, drawn and ashen colored face. His dull eyes that avoid contact with anyone and his posture that made it look like he would go crashing to the ground at any moment.

But the dark girl didn't quite have enough time to add everything together before Davros once again interrupted.

'Oh! But the Doctor is powerless - my prisoner. State your intent.'

'I've got the Osterhagen Key. Leave this planet and its people alone, or I'll use it.' She held up a small disk and Donna noted that she looked as though she regretted her words even as she spoke them. 'There's a chain of twenty-five nuclear warheads placed in strategic points beneath the Earth's crust. If I use the key, they detonate and the Earth gets ripped apart.' She explained, obviously realizing none of them would know about the key.

'What?' Donna screeched. 'Are you insane Martha? What the hell are you thinking!?' She scowled up at the other woman in disgust.

'The Osterhagen Key is to be used if-'but Donna wouldn't here it.

'No, I don't care Martha! There is no excuse. No possible reason someone could use to justify making or activating something like that.'

Martha's expression became harder, not liking being accused as she was. 'I won't argue with you, 'cos there's more than that. Now, I reckon the Daleks need these twenty-seven planets for something, but what if it becomes twenty-six? What happens then? Daleks? Would you risk it?'

Donna hmm'ed thoughtfully for a second. 'Oh you're still good,' she couldn't help but comment.

Martha suddenly frowned, eyes searching for something in their room. 'What is going on? Doctor, why haven't you said anything? Wait… where's Rose?' Donna tried to prevent it, by the time Martha even got close to the name she was shaking her head frantically but was paid no mind.

The Doctor once more raise his gaze to look piercingly at Martha and he froze, almost like a living statue. He did not speak.

Donna couldn't help but let out a breath, she thought her name would bring on a stronger reaction.

'She's gone… as well as the TARDIS.' Donna took it upon herself to explain in the least painful way possible.

She thought she heard a sound like a growl come from the Doctors direction but it was so soft and deep she decided to pass it off as her imagination.

Then another screen appeared just like the first and Donna couldn't help but grin as she saw the handsome face that filled it.

'Captain Jack Harkness calling all Dalek boys and girls! Are you receiving me? Don't send in your goons or I'll set this thing off.'

Donna stared and grinning in amazement. "How are you even alive?'There were three people with him she didn't recognize and she turned slightly towards the Doctor for an introduction before thinking of the stupidity of the action.

Jack ignored her question gracefully, a smug grin planted of his face. She knew he was faking it, sadness still lingering in his gaze. 'I've got a Warp Star wired into the mainframe. I break the shell and the entire Crucible goes up.'

They continue to talk and no one but Donna notices how the Doctors eyes become a shade even darker and how his scowl deepens. No one notices until it's too late and they have said all the wrong things.

'And the prophecy unfolds.' Davros cuts off the conversation with Sarah-Jane suddenly, looking back at the Doctor and grinning sadistically. 'The Doctor's soul is revealed. Look and See his true heart!'

All their eyes drift to the Doctor and they finally realize something is very wrong, even more so than before.

'The man who abhors violence, never carrying a gun. But this is the truth, Doctor: you take ordinary people and you fashion THEM into weapons. Behold your Children of Time transformed into murderers. I made the Daleks, Doctor. You made this. Already, I have seen them sacrifice today for their beloved Doctor. The Earth woman who fell opening the sub wave network.'

He does ask who, it doesn't matter, and he knows that Davros is telling the truth, he always has. And he doesn't try to defend them as he once might have. He had lost his mercy and now his faith in this species he spent so long protecting was following just as quickly and this time there was no one that could bring it back… no one to bring him back.

'How many more? Just think. How many have died in your name? The Doctor... the man who keeps running, never looking back, because he dare not, out of shame. This is my final victory, Doctor. I have shown you... yourself.'

He couldn't stop the flashes flow through his mind. All the people that had died, because of him, always him. Jade, Lynda, Sir Robert, Mrs. Moore, Mr. Skinner, Ursula, Bridget, the face of Bo, Chantho, Astrid, Luke, Jenny, River, the hostess, sky. All these past by in a second and then his mind slowed down and he watched as his blonde haired angel was pulled towards the void, images planted in his head of her burning within the TARDIS, screaming for his help but not receiving it.

In reality the others watched as he groaned and clutched his head, falling to his knees, murmuring out words that got steadily louder in his panic.

'No. Don't… Hold on… No no no no, Rose!' He cried out only to fall silent on his knees, head in his arms as he rocked back and forth.

They all watched as the strongest man they had ever met broke down in front of their eyes. Donna looked back up to see Martha with tears on her cheeks. Jack was yelling at Davros to stop. She saw the blonde woman to his side hide her face as she wept and figured that was Roses mother, it was obvious Jack had already told her of Roses fate as she was not surprised by this turn of events, only heartbroken.

'Suddenly a Dalek voice rang out threw the camber. 'Transmat engaged.'

The people on the screen disappeared, only to reappear right in front of Donna, but none of them looked happy to be reunited. They didn't fight as they were herded into a group. None of them could tear their eyes away from the broken man crouched on the ground.

Davros babbled about surrender and continued on about the prophecy and still none of them reacted, or even listened. Their eyes were glued to the Doctor, but it wasn't him anymore. The man who raised his head and stood back up was not their Doctor but an angry and primitive god that made them all want to cower in fear.

He was to the right and behind Davros and so the insane creature did not notice his rise, just continued to screech about his wonderful, foolproof plan and the detonation of the bomb.

Suddenly an unexpected noise floated around the room and made them all turn to face the back as the erratic and high-pitched giggle of Dalek Caan sounded out.

'The heart of him, it will be shown and the silly creator believed himself to be in control.' The insane Dalek drawled. 'But he did not realize – as Dalek kind even at the loss of my mind I have more control over the soldiers.' One of his tentacles moved up and seemed to point to the other Daleks in the room. 'The Doctor has been complacent, did not check his barrier, just as the prophecy predicted and now it is his time. The soldiers let him free just as I ordered; only the girl is trapped in invisible blue.' He giggled manically again, seeming very pleased with himself.

The Doctor, not showing a second of surprise or hesitance, stepped forward toward Davros, glaring as the abomination stared at him in fear for the first time.

'The Oncoming Storm shall break the Doctors most sacred rule and he will become the man that did – for without his beautiful pink rose his sense of revenge has returned, he has reverted back to his state of being born through fire and war and his mercy has disappeared and the Daleks that have become so wrong shall quiver in fear and die the deaths that are rightful to them.' Caan spoke up again as the Doctor reached down, his hand disappearing into his pocket.

It only took two seconds for his fingers to find purchase on the object they searched for and they all watched in stunned disbelief and abject horror as he pulled out the one thing they thought they would never see on his person.

He raised his arm and clutched in his right hand, his left supporting it, was a very Dalek looking gun, pointing directly at Davros' blue eye in his forehead. A dangerous sneer crossed his face and he flicked a switch, prepared, his stance rigid and unforgiving, no sign of a bluff or of him backing down – not even a modicum of the hesitance he had shown after Jenny's death.

'The Doctor is threatening the operation, Exterminate. Exterminate,' familiar mechanic voice rang out.

Almost faster than they could see the Doctor had spun around and fired three blue lasers, killing the only Daleks in the room.

'Doctor,' Martha choked out in horror, her facial expression matching those of the people surrounding her.

He turned towards her, gaze sweeping over them with not even a glimmer of remorse or guilt in his stony gaze as he went back to position, the gun trained on Davros.

'Davros,' he spoke, voice deep and accusing – colder than they had ever heard it before. He stepped closer to the man. 'You filth,' he spat. 'What could you possible accomplish by all of this,' he asked rhetorically, waving his arm around frantically before returning it to its resting place. 'You will die along with everyone else and then your whole disgusting existence will mean even less than it already does.'

'You've underestimated me before Doctor,' Davros sounded fearful, unsure as he spoke – he no longer had control over what was to transpire. 'Perhaps you've done it again. After all –'

'SHUT UP,' the Doctor yelled, eyes wide and nostrils flaring slightly in anger, holding the gun just a little higher and more tightly. 'It is you who underestimated this time and I am going to enjoy watching you die as much as you enjoyed taking everything away from me.' His voice quivered just barely at the end of his sentence. 'It's over Davros, I'm done.' They saw his grip become more firm on the weapon and he held it up to aim.

They held their breaths and they could see in his stance the moment he was going to pull the trigger. The action began, one they all knew he would not come back from and some couldn't help but snap their eyes shut tightly and look away.

'DOCTOR! STOP!'

It was not a voice they expected to here, not that they expected to hear anyone in particular either, but they all turned towards the shout, even the Doctor, his posture wavering for the first time at such a familiar voice pleading with him.

A figure walked towards him and he was staring into dark blue eyes that were staring right back at him but with no accusation in them. They showed only sympathy, understanding and a shared pain that had tears rolling down his cheeks for the first time.

'But the TARDIS… Rose,' his voice cracked into a whisper at her name, 'him… and them… they killed her Jackie.'

**A/N So… what did you think? I was actually planning to go until Roses return but I decided if I did that it would be way way too long so I left it here with a sort of cliffhanger if you are really anxious to know what Jackie is going to do and say.**

**As I type I've already done the first few paragraphs of the next chapter so it'll probably be up tomorrow or the next day because I'm really into this part of the story and I can't wait to write it. **

**Also sorry for any mistakes because I didn't Beta this chapter.**

**Please respond, I thrive off reviews!!**


	7. the Unexpected

**A/N Thank you everyone for such positive feedback, I love you all! :D You are making it so easy to continue writing for this story! Although, for some reason I found this chapter incredibly difficult to write and this one is about my fourth attempt (. **

**SO please please forgive me for taking so long. Here's the next chapter, hope it doesn't disappoint. Allons-y!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who because if I did Rose would have either not been pulled into the alternate universe or she would have stayed after Journey's End… and Matt Smith definitely wouldn't be the new Doctor.**

* * *

**Chapter 7: the Unexpected**

Jackie, struggling to keep her own tears in, stepped forward again. She raised a hand to his cheek gently, stroking away the salty water leaving devastating tracks in their wakes, the only person completely unafraid of the man in front of her.

'I know Doctor but think about it you plum,' she said trying to keep some semblance of normalcy to her voice. 'It's Rose.' His eyes shut in pain and defeat. 'And the TARDIS for that matter,' she continued. 'Do you think this is what she would have wanted?' When he didn't answer she lowered her hand but didn't step away. 'I'll tell you now Doctor; if she were here she'd tell you to save the universe but not like this,' she gestured slightly to the room. 'If this,' she continued, now laying her hand gently on the top of the gun still pointed at Davros who was watching the interaction fearfully, 'is what it took she would tell you not to, to figure out another way like you always do.'

He opened his eyes; they looked weary and unresolved as he stepped away from the woman he almost considered a second mother to him. 'How would you know Jackie?' He grasped at his last thought that might counteract her argument but knew that it was pointless and she was right. 'You weren't ever with us when we travelled; you never saw what I had to do.'

'No, I wasn't.' She said, not backing down but her voice was now harsher than before, running out of some of her patience. 'But I was there when you left her on that beach Doctor, and I saw what it did to her. Did you think that after that day she would just bottle everything up and never speak of it again, that's your way of dealing with things not hers and you should know better. I was there for my daughter when she cried for days, weeks after that meeting. And after that I was there every time she dreamt of you and I would hear your adventures, all of them in the end. Do you want to know something?' She waited a second even though she knew she would receive no response. She had caught his attention, his intense gaze never wavering from her face.

'From the day she joined Torchwood she climbed the ladder, making it to team leader and going out to investigate all those aliens but never, not once, in all that time, no matter how dangerous it got, did she ever even touch one of those.' She said nodding her head in the direction of the gun he was holding.

His eyes widened infinitesimally at the revelation and his grip on the weapon loosened and wavered for the first time. 'But-'

Jackie cut him off again. 'The only reason she had one in this reality was she knew what she was up against. She had years of experience but she was still just a human girl, no match for thousands of Daleks stranded in the middle of Earth. But she NEVER used it apart from on a Dalek,' she cast a quick glance in Davros' direction. 'A real Dalek. Even then, I know she only used it when someone else's life was in danger.'

'But how?' the Doctor spoke, his voice still laden with tears and grief. 'How would know Jackie? You weren't there.'

'Because she told me. She promised it to me because she couldn't to you. She said she never would because you never would and she'd never disappoint you.'

As soon as her last words flew from her mouth his posture changed. His shoulders slumped and simultaneously his head and arms lowered, gun clattering loudly to the ground in the stony silence.

Jackie stepped forward again, without hesitation, and wrapped her arms firmly around him. 'I'm proud of you Doctor.'

He finally brought his arms up to weakly hug her back and yet still his emotions were locked up again. His eyes were back to normal but by all outward appearances he hadn't been crying just a moment ago, nor threatening to kill anyone.

'Jackie-'

But he was never given the chance to say whatever it was as the sound of the universe filled the room impossibly. Everyone turned towards the noise, speechless at hearing something so beautiful that they'd thought was lost forever.

'Impossible,' Davros shuddered out, the thought of losing finally crossing his mind.

Jack heard him and let out a genuine grin, for the first time since Roses "death" and looked right at the monster. 'Brilliant,' he counteracted right as the doors to the TARDIS opened and a shadowy silhouette stepped out to be revealed at Rose Tyler.

The Doctor stared disbelievingly, stunned into silence at seeing her face alive, though unsmiling. She walked forward towards him, her gaze intense, a look on her face he had never seen directed at him before. But his mind finally caught up with him and he remembered Davros, still not entirely powerless.

'Don't!' He shouted, warning Rose, but she did not falter as a beam of electricity rushed towards her. A split second before it made contact she raised her hand and stopped it in a move frightening reminiscent of when she had become the Bad Wolf, her stare flickering to Davros for a moment.

'Rose?' the Doctor whispered out quietly and watched as she swung her gaze back to him, making him flinch as those same harsh emotions were in her eyes.

'No, I am not she,' Rose spoke, looking at the Doctor but directing the words to everyone in the room. She had already taken in the gun lying at the floor by the Doctors feet, the almost cowering position of Davros and the looks of everyone in the room as she had entered. _Oh Theta, what have you done._

The Doctors head lowered in shame for a millisecond before realizing she had not spoken aloud and quickly meeting her gaze. It only took another fraction of a second to notice that not only did it use his true name but the voice in his head was not Roses; instead it was one even more strikingly familiar, if that was possible.

'TARDIS?' He spoke aloud, looking at her curiously, shifting his weight nervously.

Everyone's eyes raised in surprise, especially those who still held to the idea the TARDIS was not a living being. They couldn't deny that the person in front of them wasn't their Rose. Of course she looked exactly the same but for one thing she had not yet tried to gain physical contact with the Doctor, hadn't spoken with him directly and her posture was stiff and ridged, almost she wasn't used to having a human body, or as the case may suggest, a body at all.

She nodded in confirmation before speaking, stepping forward even more towards him before turning and facing the majority of the people in this room as that she could speak to them all. 'Rose has been changed and because she shares a part of me I am able to control her for a short amount of time without suppressing her to death. But I don't have time to explain. I took hold of this body so that I may help in this struggle and while Rose may have been a great help she is too weak from all that has happened. She is resting and healing as we speak. '

She spun once again to look at the Doctor. She looked briefly down at the gun then back to his eyes. 'You disappoint me my Doctor, just be thankful it is I who have witnessed this and not our Rose for I doubt you would still be standing if it were her.' The TARDIS made Roses mouth quirk up in a tiny half smile at that knowing later she would know of this. 'But we must stop this now and I'll leave you to be dealt with later. _She will not remember your true name after this Theta,' _she added in her mind and sending it out to her Doctor, knowing it was important to him.

He nodded slightly silently in thanks and followed her as she walked calmly over to the control panel, ignoring the voice of a Dalek calling: 'Detonation in twenty rels!'

'Oh... closing all Z-Neutrino relay loops using an internalized synchronous back-feed reversal loop.' The TARDIS spoke calmly as she flicked a switch and everyone looked on in awe. She sighed slightly in content at finally being able to use some of her knowledge, to be free in a body, even if it would only be for a few more minutes. She looked over at her Doctor, ignoring the wailing of Dalek voices over the communications.

She had gone easy on him because of all that he had gone through. She was disappointed this had happened, but not surprised. It was something she had been expecting since Rose left. But now they had her back and she was just as happy as the Doctor.

'You will suffer for this.' Davros shrieked, angry that everything was falling apart and he was now powerless as the remaining Daleks cried out that the systems had shut-down.

The TARDIS looked up at him doubtfully and flicked another switch, disabling his arm but not causing him any pain. Both she and the tiny part of Rose that was still conscious during all this did not want to cause any pain that wasn't necessary, even to their enemies. The TARDIS smiled, knowing only Rose would think like that and knowing she and her Doctor had licked the right human.

'Macro transmission of a K-filter wavelength blocking Dalek weaponry in a self-replicating energy blindfold matrix.' She spoke, pushing down something and flicking yet another switch, disabling all the Daleks.

'But how did you figure that out?' the Doctor asked, incredulously.

'There are many things about me even you do not know my Doctor, one is that my knowledge spans wider than you could ever imagine but some knowledge can not be told to others for the consequences to the balance would be severe.' She explained, knowing he would want to know why she had never told him before._  
_  
'Holding cell deactivated.' She announced cheerfully and watched as Donna moved from her place over to the others, standing quite close to Jack, who looked slightly uncomfortable with the arrangement.  
_  
_'And seal the Vault.' She looked up at the Doctor at the other side of the panel. 'Well, don't just stand there, I'm going to need some help,' she demanded.

He snapped instantly into action and everyone watched as they worked side by side, synchronized in the strangest way.

'Is it just me or do you get the feeling they'd be like that anyway even if it were Rose?' Martha whispered to the other who all nodded their heads in agreement, thankful to be able to lighten up just slightly.

Jack disappeared for a moment inside the… TARDIS? Or shell of the TARDIS at least and re-emerged with his gun, pointing it directly at Davros, just in case.

'Don't move,' he ordered gleefully.

They had missed a few moments of whatever the Rose and the Doctor where talking about and when finally they drew their attention back it was Rose, or the TARDIS, who was speaking.

'Ready?' the Doctor nodded. 'And reverse.' They both slowly pulled out two rods from the controls.

'Off you go, Clom.' The Doctor spoke, his familiar grin starting to light up his face again, beginning to be able to believe that all of this was actually happening.

'Back home, Adipose Three!' Rose cried out, reveling in the long lost jubilance of the Doctor and joining in it.

'Shallacatop! Pyrovillia! The Lost Moon of Poosh. Topping. Ha!' the Doctor continued, raising his foot comically to push another lever as his hands where busy.

'Was he always like this?' Martha and Donna asked at the same time, looking slightly surprised at each other. Martha finished, 'when he travelled with her.'

They watched as he bounced around the panel, flicking switches and pushing buttons every once in a while.

Jack smiled fondly. 'Oh yeah.' Both he, Jackie and Mickey responded, grinning at each other.

'We need more power,' the TARDIS spoke, Roses face still smiling softly at the Doctor.

'Is anyone going to tell us what's going on?' Donna asked, hands on hips with a half stern look on her face.

Her grin widened at the question and she shot the Doctor a mischievous look, causing his expression to match hers. 'Nope,' they shot back at the indignant red-head.

'We'll explain later,' the Doctor said as he saw her about to complain.

'You promised me, Dalek Caan. Why did you not foresee this?' Came Davros' sudden interruption.

'Oh I think he did,' the Doctor said instead. 'Something's been manipulating the timelines for ages... getting Rose Tyler to the right place at the right time. Out of all the universes she could have landed in and it just happens to be this one. Oh, I don't think so,' he stared at Dalek Caan with something akin to awe in his expression.

'This would always have happened. I only helped, Doctor.' Dalek Caan finally spoke, sounding much less insane than before.

'You... betrayed the Daleks?' Davros asked deprecatingly.

'I SAW the Daleks. What we have done throughout time and space. I saw the truth of us, Creator,' he spat the title out like a bad taste, 'and I decreed "no more".'

'Heads Up,' came Jacks voice suddenly and they all turned to see the Supreme Dalek lowering into the vault.

'Davros, you have betrayed us,' it accused him.

'It was Dalek Caan,' Davros spoke fearfully, still trying to preserve his own life.

'The Vault will be purged! You will all be exterminated.' As he spoke he sent a death ray towards the panel, sending mini explosions and sparks in all directions.

'Oho, I don't think so,' Jack said smugly, turning his gun to the Dalek away from Davros and blowing his top off without hesitation.

The Doctor went back to examining the central column, a frown coming to his face. 'Oh, we've lost the magnetron! And there's only one planet left oh –' he laughed sarcastically and looked over at the TARDIS, quickly looking away again and to the rest of the group, finding it extremely difficult to look at her face and know it wasn't her he was speaking to. He felt a wave of sympathy wash over him, courtesy of the TARDIS and ignored it. 'Guess which one. Look, we can use the TARDIS!'

He turned back to the TARDIS in Roses body and raised his eyebrows. 'Time to go,' he stated simply.

She merely nodded and gave him a small smile. She took a deep breath in and as she exhaled a golden fog withdrew from her mouth and fingertips, floating across the air and back into the real TARDIS.

The Doctor scrambled forward and caught Rose as she fell. He looked down at her face only to find her unconscious and picked her up completely, taken aback slightly at the feel of holding her in his arms again.

He carried her into the TARDIS and laid her across the captain's seat before going to the console and frantically flipping switches.

He finished quickly before rushing back out again and back to the controls.

'Holding Earth stability... maintaining atmospheric shell.' He muttered to himself, just loud enough for everyone to hear, not that they really understood what was going on.

'The prophecy must complete.' Caan shouted urgently, flailing erratically in his seat.

'Don't listen to him.' Davros spoke, knowing this would be the end of him.

'I have seen the end of everything Dalek, and you must make it happen, Doctor.'

The Doctor looked up, denial bright in his eyes. 'But I can't… not after-'he cut himself off and swallowed heavily, glancing down at the gun still lying on the floor. 'It's murder.' He whispered, staring, wide-eyed at the Dalek. 'But… He's right. Because with or without a Reality Bomb, this Dalek Empire's big enough to slaughter the cosmos. They've got to be stopped.' There was no joy in his voice as he spoke, only resignation.

He went to pull a lever but was stopped by a familiar voice. 'Wait Doctor,' Donna said, desperate to make him think of something else, anything else. 'Couldn't you just, send them somewhere – trap them in a place they couldn't hurt anyone.

He started to shake his head remorsefully until an idea popped into his head. His eyes lit up and he bounded back into the TARDIS, staring at the ceiling.

_I know what you are thinking my Doctor, _the TARDIS spoke to him. _But I can not do the same as I did for Margaret. She had a specific birth and order to her life, these creatures were made. Even if I could they are too great in number. I am afraid that would take more power than even I have Theta. _He looked at the ground in disappointment and lost hope, knowing he shouldn't have expected any more.

_But, _she started up again; _I could take them into me. They are such dark creatures my light would destroy them. I know you don't like killing Theta but it would be merciful to them. They have already lost their minds just like those you met with the Emperor… They hate their own existence just as thoroughly as the one did in Van Stattens. _

'But what will it do to you?' He asked, stoking the console gently, not wanting to cause the old girl any harm.

_I will retain enough energy to bring Earth home. But after that you will need to take me to the Rift to re-fuel._

He nodded and stepped back.

**A/N I know that's a weird place to end it but I'm putting the next chapter up straight away since the two were actually only one chapter but I thought it was way too long and just divided it half way. Even though they are both going up at about the same time, I hope you will review both, I really want to hear what you think of everything.**

**Thanks. **

**Review.**


	8. the Rescue

**A/N Okay, here's the second half of the chapter, hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who because if I did Rose would have either not been pulled into the alternate universe or she would have stayed after Journey's End… and Matt Smith definitely wouldn't be the new Doctor... or he would but only if he was ten years older. (good actor but too young to be the Doctor)**

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Chapter 8: the Rescue/ the Drop-Off

One of the consoles panels opened and a beautiful song filled the air.

He knew of this particular… talent of TARDIS'. They had the ability to singing to specific people and their songs had many different effects. She had often sung to him in times of great sadness and grief.

Now he knew that she was singing the Daleks to her and they would be unable to resist her pull. Perhaps someone in their right mind would be able to but not these lowly creatures who already longed for death.

The watched as the thousands and millions of Daleks sped past him, right into the blinding light that would mean their death, and he made sure to avert his eyes.

It only took minutes but it felt like a life time to him since he knew that the others would not understand and possibly be scared. He was very much aware of the fact that Rose was curled up on the other side of the room and he wanted nothing more than to hold her as she slept and be there as she woke.

As it stopped and he watched regretfully as Davros was pulled in and the light faded as the console closed once more. He walked back outside, after checking his love was asleep and the TARDIS was okay. He saw them all huddled just outside the door and leant comically half out the TARDIS, only his head and torso emerging, hand clutching the door as he dangled slightly.

'Come on then, what are you waiting for?' he asked sarcastically with a grin in place.

They immediately ran inside to find everything as it always had been.

The Doctor slammed the TARDIS door shut and rushed over to the console near the monitor, looking around at everyone with a large grin.

'Off we go then!' He stated excitedly, pulling a lever upwards with over enthusiasm, sending those not holding on careening back a few violent steps.

He looked proudly to see everyone had stayed standing and caught Sarah-Jane's eyes, eyes twinkling at the familiarity of the moment.

'But what about the Earth?' She asked him. She couldn't keep the smile off her face at how happy he looked. Even through all the time she had travelled with him oh so long ago he had never been so full of life. Her gaze flickered to the familiar blonde on the captain's seat and her grin turned into a soft smile. She knew the reason just as well as everyone else. 'It's stuck in the wrong part of space.'

'Ah, no problem!' he responded cheerfully, looking to the monitor, 'Torchwood Hub, this is the Doctor. Are you receiving me?'

'Loud and clear,' came a young girl's voice over the monitor. 'Is Jack there?'

The Doctor glanced over at the man. 'Course, can't get rid of him… bit like a cockroach.' Jack mock glared at him for the comment. 'Jack, what's her name?' the Doctor asked curiously.

'Gwen Cooper. Why?' the Doctor ignored his question and turned back to the monitor

'Tell me Gwen Cooper-'

Before he could finish an entirely unexpected voice came from behind him. 'Are you from an old Cardiff family?' it said laughter in the tone.

The Doctor spun around on the spot and pulled the small blonde standing behind him into a massive hug, squeezing her shoulders and waist tightly and breathing deeply.

He heard her giggle and squeeze him back, nuzzling her head into his chest lightly for a minute before pulling back and looking up into his face, an identical expression of joy and relief on her face.

'Enough of that, back to savin' the Earth.' She said, grasping his hand tightly and giggling again as she realized everyone was looking at her in surprise.

'Rose, are you-'

'Yes I'm fine,' she cut him off again. She tugged him back round to face the screen again. 'So, are you?' she asked the girl again.

'Yes, back to the 1800's,' she simply answered, slightly confused as to what had just happened.

Rose and the Doctor looked at each other delightedly, obviously sharing a private joke or moment that was between them.

'Mm,' the Doctor hummed loudly. 'Thought so,' his voice was giddy as he looked back down at the beautiful blonde at his side. 'Spatial genetic multiplicity.'

'Oh yeah,' she mumbled in return appreciatively.

The other in the TARDIS watched, amused and astonished. The two of them were so in tune with the other. When one of them shifted one way the other would follow and every time one of them spoke the other looked like they were listening intently to the most important thing they'd ever heard. They all saw as their hands shifted, the Doctors fingers coming to grasp Rose's wrist, his index and middle finger on her pulse point and could see as she shifted towards him as he did it.

They knew without words what the other needed and it seemed both impressive and somehow, completely normal for them. They made it look easy.

'Funny old world sometimes,' the Doctor spoke, his voice filled with humor before going back to relative seriousness. 'Now, Torchwood. I want you to open up that Rift Manipulator and send all that power to me.

This time it was Ianto who spoke up. 'Doing it now sir,' he knew from Jack's storied that the Doctor deserved his respect, especially after what he had just done for them.

'What's that for?' Martha asked, feeling a bit left out of the loop and sure she wasn't the only one. She looked around at everyone and saw they all had the same bewildered look on their faces as her, except of course Rose Tyler. She shook her head, no wonder her never stood a chance.

'It's a tow-rope,' he explained. 'Now then, Sarah – what was your son's name?' He asked looking at the red head again.

'Luke, and the computer is Mr. Smith.'

'Calling Luke and Mr. Smith…' He waited a few seconds while nothing happened. 'Come on Luke, shake a leg!'

'Is mum there?' another young voice rang out, this time a boy's.

'Just fine and dandy, as always.' He grinned as he saw the happiness radiate off the boy. 'Now, Mr. Smith, I want you to harness the Rift power and loop it round the TARDIS, you got that?'

'I regret I will need remote access to TARDIS base code numerals.' A mechanical voice drifted through the TARDIS.

'Oh, blimey. That's gonna take a while.' The Doctor ran a hand nervously through his hair and Rose looked up at his worriedly, recognizing the gesture.

Suddenly Sarah Jane was pushing them slightly out of the way. 'No, no, no. Let me! K-9, out you come!' She called at the monitor.

Everyone heard the almost childlike 'Affirmative, Mistress!' that responded.

'Oh, good dog!' the Doctor laughed looking at his old friend and grinning again. 'K-9, give Mr Smith the base code.'

'Master. TARDIS base code now being transferred.' Rose looked up again to see the Doctor smiling in delight as K-9 again recognized him. She found herself glancing up every minute or so, unable to look away from his perfect face that she had missed so much and had lost too many times. She noticed his thumb was absent mindedly stroking the back of her hand as his fingers stayed on her pulse.

When he had moved the grip she had let him without complaint because she knew why he was doing it instantly and she needed just as much reassurance that she was actually there with him, alive, in the same universe, as he did.

'The process is simple.' K-9 continued as the code appeared on Mr. Smith.

But she wasn't listening; she was too deep in thought. Suddenly she couldn't help herself as while the Doctor was intently studying the monitor she reached up and gently ran her free hand through his hair gently, letting her hand slide down and caress his cheek for a moment before falling back to her side.

The Doctor didn't miss a beat as she did this. He kept gazing at the computer and then straightened and started talking, but she, and everyone else, saw his eyes close blissfully for just a second when he first felt her hand and noticed his next breath was deeper and just slightly shakier than the last.

As Rose did the action Martha, Donna and Sarah Jane, who where all standing beside each other, couldn't help the tiny and uncharactistic "aww's" that bubbled out of them. It was amazing to watch how they acted around each other.

Now then, you lot –' he started up again, trying the ignore the urge to grab Rose tightly in his arms and never let her go, not to mention how much he wanted to feel her hands again, running through his hair, clutched around his neck. He shuddered slightly and, embarrassed at his pause, cleared his throat before continuing.

'Sarah - hold that. And Mickey - you hold that. Because, you know why this TARDIS is always rattling about the place? Rose - that, there,' he indicated a control before regretfully letting go of her hand and wrist to move around the console. 'It was designed to have six pilots and I have to do it single handed. Martha - keep that level.' He interrupted himself, pointed at a precarious looking lever to her right. 'But not anymore!' He continued before he turned to Jack and touched a shaking orb, 'Jack - there you go, steady that. Now we can fly this thing.' He finished excitedly, reclaiming his place beside Rose, but refraining from picking up her hand as both of theirs were occupied.

He couldn't help the thought that flashed through his head at finally being able to stand side by side with her in the TARDIS, both flying her together. This was how it should have been all along.

He looked over at Jackie and cringed. 'No, Jackie. No, no. Not you.' He reached over and patted her on the shoulder gingerly, not wanting to get slapped. 'Don't touch anything, just... stand back.' Suddenly he picked up the sentence they thought he had finished about thirty seconds ago and it took almost everyone a few seconds to catch up, sending Rose into a fit of laughter. '- Like it's meant to be flown! We've got the Torchwood Rift looped around the TARDIS by Mr. Smith. We're gonna fly planet Earth back home.'

He looks around at everyone, pride again filling hi as everything was being done perfectly. 'Right, then! Off we go.' They all saw him pull up a lever before the TARDIS jerked again and they started shooting away.

Almost instantly after the jerked the TARDIS leveled out and they almost glided away, everything smooth, almost to the point that it didn't feel like they were moving at all.

'Rose,' the Doctor said calmly, indicating a button when she looked up and watched as she pushed it down, giving the console beside I a slightly caress. That was another reason he loved her. She was one of his only companions who had ever really embraced the TARDIS as a living being, even before the game station and she was given the connection to the old girl.

They looked up to the top of the centre column, smiling serenely, as they heard the beautiful ship hum even more than usual at the gentle, unrushed handling she was receiving, along with having her sister rose onboard again.

They looked back down and watched, amused as Donna watched Jack intently as he pumped a lever

'That's good Jack, I think you're the best,' she said, flirting.

Jack looks up at her and winks goodheartedly, too happy to care who it was he was flirting with as he said, 'I should think so, I've had a lot of practice.'

Everyone laughing lightly at the banter, enjoying the return to some form of normalcy. They all felt the shift in the TARDIS' weight as the Earth was detached, now back in its proper place.

The TARDIS was filled with whoops and cheers of joy and suddenly everyone was hugging each other.

Once everyone had got their hug off them the Doctor and Rose turned to each other, smiles softening as their arms closed around each other in a sweet desperation. Rose clutched at the lapels of his jacket before bringing her arms around his shoulders and hands in his hair, burying her face in his neck and letting out a sob of relief that it was all over.

She couldn't quite believe she was in his arms. He was right there in front of her, in his brown pin-striped suit and his perfect hair and somewhere deep inside her she knew she shouldn't need someone so badly. But that didn't matter. It never mattered to them what they should or shouldn't do. They always broke the rules; always made the impossible possible and she had never been so ecstatically happy about that fact.

She felt his arms slip around her waist and his face bury itself in her hair. She heard the rapid thumping of his hearts and the shakiness of his breath against her skin. Then, she heard him murmur,

'I thought I had lost you.' He couldn't stop the tiny sob that broke from him, almost identical to the one that escaped her only moments before and as he realized this he realized how incredibly in tune he was with her, even more so than before. This thought brought the worry about what had happened to her, as the TARDIS had said she'd changed… Changed into what?

He mentally shook himself and resolved to do something completely against his nature and let it go for now and just be thankful for the fact she was alive and with him.

She pulled back to look at him, staying encased in his arms. 'Nah, we'll always be okay you and me,' she grinned, imitating her words from so long ago, as if everything they had just been through only proved her point. She tilted her head slightly, 'don't you think so Doctor?' She finished slyly.

He thought back to his last response: _A storm is approaching _and shuddered but was happy that he could feel no such warnings in the air this time. And this time he could give her the answer she wanted and deserved. 'Of course Rose Tyler, nothing but sunshine for my sunshine,' he grinned cheesily down at her.

She rolled her eyes and groaned. 'That was so cheesy Doctor,' she said light heartedly, turning his own words around on him 'Please don't do that again, really don't.'

He just breathed a laugh and let his lips fall to hers in a gentle kiss as they let their foreheads drift to rest together as they stood with their eyes shut contentedly.

'Oi! You might have all year but do you mind if we get home now?' The slightly whiny voice of Martha filled the TARDIS in a laughing manner.

The Doctor and Rose pulled away slightly from each other to see everyone had stopped their celebration and were now watching them, smiling.

'Oh yeah, right,' he said, gaining back his bearings. It sounded horrible but he couldn't wait for it just to be them again, the old team, Shiver and Shake… plus Donna the super-temp, if she still wanted to travel with him he added mentally. He set the co-ordinates and landed the TARDIS smoothly, for a change, on Earth in London, in the middle of a park.

The Doctor and Sarah Jane emerged from the TARDIS, gazing around at the normality of their surroundings. Not far away they could hear a church bell ring and were glad to hear such a normal, common sound again when they thought it would all be lost.

'You know... you act like such a lonely man. But look at you. You've got the biggest family on Earth!' She spoke knowing she was right, especially now that he had Rose back. It was funny; when she had been just his companion when she had first met the blonde she had been jealous, worried that she had been replaced. Now that she knew for sure, even though she had suspected something back then, that they had so much more than friendship any jealousy had vanished and she found herself rather fond of the girl. She knew it was because, although they had been the best of friends, there was never anything romantic between her and the Doctor and that meant that he couldn't have replaced her because she and the blonde shared completely different relationships with the man and that meant what the Doctor thought and felt for her was unique, something all of their own that no one could ever replace.

The Doctor smiled as Sarah Jane held her arms out to him and he leant down to hug her tightly, lifting her off the ground in the same way he did last time.

'I have to go. He's only fourteen.' She saw his mouth open in the beginning of a question and hurried on. 'It's a long story. And thank you, again!' She shouted back to him as she jogged off back home to her son.

The Doctor smiled warmly again and waved to her retreating back, chuckling as he watched her run before turning back to the TARDIS.

'Yeah, I'm fine.' He heard Donna mumble into her mobile.

'Are you all right?' Jackie quietly asked Mickey, having already grabbed Rose in a vice like hug earlier.

'I'm gonna miss you more than anyone.' Mickey said in way of a reply, looked downwards as he predicted the reaction he would get.

The Doctor tuned out there, already knowing what was going to be said as they hugged tearfully.

He walked over to where Jack was standing with Donna and Rose, a small huddle of giggling and light hearted chatter. He pulled out his sonic-screwdriver and yanked the captain's wrist up near his face as he disabled the teleport.

'I told you, no teleport. And Martha, get rid of that Osterhagen thing, eh? Save the world one more time. 'He said, glancing in the dark girls direction, pleased to see her nod in confirmation.

'Consider it done.' She responded without hesitating.

Jack saluted the Doctor and Martha followed suit. He saluted back. Just this once letting them get away with it, although he seemed to be thinking that a lot lately whenever Jack was the one directing the action at him. He chuckled at his own thoughts and watched as Jack and Martha walked away, hand in hand.

Mickey emerged from the TARDIS to see the two lovebirds holding hands again as they watched Jack and Martha retreat. He wondered if they even realized that they ALWAYS had contact with each other or if they just sort of gravitated towards each other without even noticing. He walked past them and went to follow the other duo, knowing he wouldn't get that far.

'Oi!' the Doctor voiced quite rudely, earning him a light elbow in the ribs, courtesy of Rose. 'Where are you going?'

'Well, I'm not stupid - I can work out what happens next. And hey, I had a good time in that parallel world but my Gran passed away. Nice and peaceful. Spent her last years living in a mansion. There's nothing there for me, now. Certainly not Rose.' He winked at the blonde, making sure she knew there were no hard feelings.

'What will you do?' the Doctor asked.

'Anything I suppose. Brand new life. Just you watch.' He stepped forward and reached out his fist to be bumped, smiling when the Doctor reciprocated. 'See you Boss,' he spoke respectfully, running to catch up with Jack and Martha. 'Hey, you two!'

The two left walked back into the TARDIS and around to the console, Rose sighing in content as the Doctor reached down absent mindedly and gently kissed the top of her head as he reset the controls.

'There's time for one last trip. Dårlig Ulv Stranden.'

Jackie watched as they gulped simultaneously at the name, the happiness in their eyes diming slightly and she knew, not that there was ever much doubt that Rose wouldn't be returning with her.

'Better known as,' he stopped as the TARDIS stopped moving once again and they all walked outside onto the all too familiar sand.

'Bad Wolf Bay,' Rose mumbled just loud enough for everyone to hear. The Doctor simply nodded and pulled her a bit closer with his arm around her waist, noting that the beach looked just as it had that day.

'Argh, fat lot of good this is! Back of beyond, bloody Norway! I'm gonna have to phone your father. He's on the nursery run.' Jackie stated, annoyed but overdoing it a bit just to see the look on the Doctors face when he thinks he is going to get slapped.

Donna noted the expressions of the Doctor and Rose and the babble Jackie spouted about her baby, piecing things together for herself. She looked over at the slightly wary couple who looked like they'd rather be anywhere but there.

'This is where it happened isn't it?' she asked, not wanting to bring up bad memories but her curiosity getting the better of her.

She watched as the Doctor nodded and smiled sympathetically.

'So,' the Doctor said, breaking the somber mood and turning so that he and Rose were facing each other once more. 'You're back home.' HE said simply, knowing that she would know he was giving her the chance to choose to stay.

She stepped forward and this time wrapped her arms around his waist. 'This was never home. That brilliant little blue box is my home,' she spoke loud enough for everyone to hear and said it with a tone that if anyone argued there would be hell to pay.

As soon as they pulled away the Doctor reeled back from the painful sting that suddenly filled the right side of his face, looking down to see the smiling face of Jackie Tyler right in front of him.

'I'm sure you'll do something to deserve that soon enough and this is my only chance so I'm giving it to you in advance.' He just groaned, rubbing his cheek comically and watched sadly as Rose hugged her mother goodbye. 'I love you darling,' Jackie said, holding Rose by the shoulder, 'try to stay out of trouble.'

They all ignored the snort that erupted from Donna, all already realizing what a ridiculous sentiment it was with the Doctor around. 'Well fine,' she said, re wording her statement, 'just try not to get killed alright?'

'Sure mum,' Rose said smiling, no hint of hurt or sadness in her eyes. She had a long time to come to terms with the fact that once she saw him again she would never see Jackie again and they had said their goodbyes all along the way that this moment wasn't as pivotal as it might have been for others.

They simply hugged each other again and Jackie backed up a few steps, watching as her daughter was fit comfortably back underneath the Doctor's arm and they walked back into the TARDIS, disappearing with the wonderful sound one last time.

She turned, pulled out her cell and dialed a number, holding the phone to her ear and waiting.

'… Where the hell are you? I don't want to be waiting here all day.' She smiled as Pete went off in a rant about being left behind and thought about how she couldn't wait to see Tony again and tell him fantastic stories of his big sister and the love of her life, the Time Lord.

**A/N So I really hope everyone liked this but I'm really not sure about it. I promise there will be some Doctor/Rose fluff in the next chapter, I won't make you wait any longer :P**

**Also, I think there will only be one or two more chapters to this story but I'm pretty sure I'll do a sequel about Rose, the Doctor and Donna travelling together , maybe do the same stories from season 5 but what they would have been like with those three or just completely new stuff. Tell me what you think in your reviews and if you want a sequel.**

**PLEASE READ: I am looking for someone with experience to make a YouTube video about the Doctor and the Master using Epica's song "Blank Infinity". Check out the song and if you think you could do it please PM me. Also, it's pretty hard to hear some of the words so also look up the lyrics. Thanks: D**

**Review Please XD**


	9. the Reveal

**A/N I'm extremely sorry this has taken so long but for some reason I kept changing my mind about what to put in and I kept thinking it wasn't good enough. Anyway, hope you all like it anyway. Happy reading!**

**IMPORTANT: I just want everyone to know that there is a bit near the end where I'm talking about traditions and stuff on Gallifrey. I have no idea if its true or anything but if its not and I got it completely wrong please don't say so in your reviews because I thought of it myself and I'm not trying to go by the show, it's purely my own idea. Its fiction, doesn't have to be accurate ;)**

**UN-BETAed but I hope it isn't too bad. Point out any really big mistakes in it in your reviews and I'll go through and change them. Thanks :D**

**Disclaimer: I hold no rights to Doctor Who or any of its spin offs and highly doubt that I ever will, no matter how much I wish.**

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Chapter 9: the Way it Should be

The Doctor, Rose and Donna all stood around the time rotor as the Doctor guided them back into the time vortex. Donna looked over at the blonde who she already felt as if she'd known for years and smiled, stepping over to her.

'We still haven't been properly introduced. I'm Donna Noble, been travelling with this paper cut of a Martian for 'round about a year now.' They both smiled as they heard his indignant shout of "I'm not from Mars" and Donna was surprised as she felt herself being pulled into a gentle hug.

Rose responded as she pulled away again. 'Rose Tyler, two years and hoping to make it much more.' She broke eye-contact with the woman for a moment to look over at the Doctor to see a grin on his face that could melt her into a swooning pile of Rose-goo.

When her gaze didn't return to her Donna watched the two with a smile, restraining herself from bouncing on her feet and squealing at finally seeing them back together again, in the TARDIS, as it should be. She watched as after a few seconds the gaze went from light, teasing and joyful to a more intense and desiring, but unbelievably serious look.

She cleared her throat slightly and spoke up, backing towards the door that led to the many other rooms of the TARDIS. 'Alright, I think I'm gonna go and have a bit of a nap… Saving the world and all that wore me out a bit.' She made the effort to stretch her arms out in a fake yawn even though their eyes hadn't moved from each other and they were now approaching each other at a quickly increasing pace.

'Right, I can tell when I'm not wanted,' she said speaking with fake indignation and stepping out of the room. She shut the door behind her just as she heard them smash into each other in another bone-crushing hug and laughed slightly. She couldn't wait to see what the real Doctor was like now that he had his Rose back with him.

Neither of them knew how long they stood there for before they pulled gently away; seconds, minutes, hours, days. But it didn't matter because it wasn't long enough.

They knew the others thought that once they were left alone they'd be at each other with a passion but they both knew there was a lot they had to talk about and it was better get it over with.

Without a word the Doctor led Rose by the hand out of the console room and down a few corridors until they reached the familiar infirmary and he urged her to sit on the cot in the corner, pulling out his stethoscope and gently monitoring her heart for a moment.

After he was convinced it was there and beating like it should he pulled out his sonic screwdriver and did a medical scan, finding nothing wrong with her help. He frowned lightly and went to start again, just to be sure when he felt her hand cover his.

He looked up into her eyes to see her grinning lightly at him.

'I'm fine Doctor, I swear.' He got up from his position crouched in front of her to standing.

'I know but I feel like I should be doing something to help you or make you feel better after everything that happened.' He ran an irritated hand through his hair, he hated not being able to do anything.

She giggled slightly at the gesture. 'I already feel wonderful Doctor, stop worrying so much.' He frowned comically down at her as if considering something.

His face lit up and he again pointed his screwdriver in her face, concentrating before a huge grin covered his face and he let out a delighted giggle. He looked at her with barely contained glee.

'Why Rose you silly human. Your potassium is a little low.' With that said he reached far down into his pocket and pulled out a perfect, yellow banana.

He handed it to her and looked at her seriously. 'From the grove of Villengard itself… Eat up.' He stood with his arms crossed in front of her, waiting.

She looked between him and the banana a few times, face blank before peels of hysterical laughter filled the room and she fell into a lying position on the cot, clutching her stomach and gasping for air.

Seeing her beautiful face lit up with such happiness, silliness and relief he couldn't help but join her and sat on the side of the small bed, watching her intently while he laughing right along with her, just slightly more controlled.

After a few minutes they both settled back down and looked at each other reverently, disbelieving but beyond happy that they could still joke like they used to, that they still knew every inch of each other.

The Doctor lent over her slightly, his left hand bracing himself on the other side of her body near her hip, trapping her between where he was sitting and his arm. As he looked down at her he lifted his other hand and stroked her hair and cheek, letting his thumb graze her bottom lip and smiling soft as her breath became shakier and she leaned into his caress.

He leant down a pressed his lips softly to hers in a tender kiss that only lasted a few seconds. He pulled back again, amazed at how easy the transition of their relationship had been for both of them and knew that had Canary Wharf never happened this would have within a few adventures, it was inevitable and they were always heading towards it.

She kept her eyes closed calmly as he pulled back and licked her lips slightly to savor his taste, feeling his presence all around him though she could not see him; she wondered if that was something new, some new ability; because while she had always been able to feel him in some way it had never been as solid and distinctive before, like she would always know no matter how far away they were from each other. Her eyes popped open as he asked her a question, hand still absentmindedly stoking her cheek in a way that made her want to grab his face and smother him with kisses, never letting go and forsaking her need for oxygen. But for now she curbed that impulse and tried to follow the conversation.

He watched her for a minute, simply wondering what she was thinking and then spoke, wanting to get the conversation out of the way.

'Rose,' he gulped, not particularly wanting to bring up the events of the past day but knowing he had to, 'what happened today?'

She stared up at him, still completely relaxed despite the topic and answered as best she could. 'I'm not entirely sure to be honest. When I was in the TARDIS everything started burning and I was so scared but then everything just… stopped.' She paused for a second, thinking she could probably have put it a better way.

'What do you mean stopped?' He frowned again, confused.

'More like paused I suppose. Time stopped, everything was still there but nothing was moving and a man appeared in the TARDIS, strange man.' She thought for a second about what she was supposed to tell him and found it was a lot easier to remember than she thought, the exact words popping into her head almost immediately. 'He spoke to me, told me that he could send me back to you but I'd be different… he said we'd have to figure out exactly how different because there wasn't any time. He told me to tell you…'

'What Rose?' the Doctor was beyond curious know. This seemed to be happening a lot; people telling other people to tell him things. He shook his head slightly at the odd sentence he had just thought and awaited her answer.

'He said to tell the Doctor that the White Guardian assembled the key and returned the loyalty he was shown. Doctor, who's the White Guardian?' She saw how shocked he was and knew the man had been right, he understood whatever the message was.

'He's an old… well, I don't really know what you'd call him. Long time ago now, a handful of regenerations, the White Guardian called on me for help, though it wasn't exactly a choice. If an immortal wants you to do something there really isn't a way to get out of it.' He watched her to make sure she was following and continued when there was no sign of confusion of her face. 'The balance of the universe was in trouble and basically he needed me to assemble the Key to Time to fix it, had to travel all around the universe to do so of course because the pieces were scattered in random places, a statue, one was even a planet, imagine that, a whole planet.' Realizing he was drifting off a bit he continued. 'They were afraid of it falling into the wrong hands, which eventually, of course it did. I ended up re-scattering the pieces I found because of the damage it was about to do… I've got no idea how he found them all again, but I doubt I'll ever have the chance to ask.' He looked down, frowning a bit in question.

'It's strange, if there's one thing I know about Guardians and the Eternals it's that they don't care all that much about "lesser beings", at least not the individuals… I wonder why he chose to save you.' He meant it as a rhetorical question but he got one anyway.

'Wait, he told me that. He said something about bonding?' She saw his eyes widen in understanding but decided to finish before letting him butt in with information, she thought she mostly understood the concept anyway. He said "the world needs the Doctor and the Doctor needs you – it is no longer a want, since the first connection you shared, what you refer to as a kiss, you were bonded, and with your death comes the destruction of the Doctor.' He saw her shiver slightly at this and reached for her hand. Squeezing gently to tell her to continue, noticing something was strange. How was she remembering all this word for word?

She continued after his reassurance. '"Not by outside influences but by his own doing. He may continue to live on but even when Gallifrey still existed a true bonding was very rarely witnessed and interspecies-bondings up till now have been impossible, or have been assumed to be. Usually the living party would live on, eventually move on but would never share the same connection with anyone else. But by the losses he has already suffered this is the one that would lead to his final obliteration. Because of all this we can not allow you to remain as… mortal as you are now. You must live alongside the Doctor until his time runs out, then and only then may you leave this world."' She heard the hitch in his breathing as he took in the words and his eyes glimmered with great hope and excitement.

She wanted to reach out and hug and kiss him to reaffirm that she would be there, for a real forever now but she realized something and needed to say something.

Since she had woken up on the TARDIS and all through his explanation she had noticed that the way she had been processing information had been different. It was like she was faster, at least mentally. From her time in the TARDIS with the Guardian she could remember everything people had said and while some of it confused her, like some of the Doctors and TARDIS' scientific babble, she found herself understanding much more than she would have before.

'Doctor I think I know one of the changes.' He looked down at her, snapping out of the daze that he fell into after the mention of bonding and her living alongside of him… forever. His eyes burned into her intently, hoping whatever it was it was nothing bad or harmful. The thought that anyone had done anything to harm her sent him into a fury momentarily before he let reason return and listened to her hunch.

'It's just that every thing since I was stuck in the TARDIS is… I don't know. It's like I can recall everything perfectly and the more I think about it the more I understand. I mean before, no matter how much I thought through it I'd never be able to decipher half the things you say and eventually I wouldn't even be able to remember most of it but now… dunno, almost like… oh I know, it's like I have a photographic memory or something. '

The Doctor nodded his head and quickly ran through the possibilities in his head. That didn't seem like a bad thing. He looked at her and held up his hands, hesitating before touching his fingers to her temples and looking at her with question in his eyes.

She nodded once, complete trust in her eyes and closed her lids as his cool fingertips brushed the sides of her head. It only took a few seconds before he pulled back again and he looked rather happy.

'Your brain is using more of its capacity. Not so much that it'll make you a genius like me,' he winked lightheartedly at her, seeing her smile and knowing it safe to continue, 'but comprehension and retaining of information should be easier from now on… which I guess you already said,' he said sheepishly.

She giggled lightly, happy that she was right and that so far nothing bad or wrong seemed to be happening to her. 'Has anything else changed Doctor?'

He scratched his head and nodded. 'Your cellular growth has slowed, which I imagine how he's made sure you are going to live longer. So still human, no regeneration or anything. Although I suppose you suppose you've got to be more than human now… it's almost like you've evolved in a day,' he spoke delightedly just like he did ever time some amazingly scientific happened.

She grinned back, never taking her eyes off his face and subconsciously noticing he had never looked away either. Suddenly his whole expression changed, like something terrible had just occurred to him as his face turned downcast and solemn.

'Doctor, what is it?' She leaned up from her lying down position to lean just up on her elbows, a hand stroking the arm at was still on the cot next to her hip, trying to calm him.

'Rose, if you retain things better…' he paused, not sure how to put it. 'You said you remember everything with great detail since you were in the TARDIS.' She nodded in confirmation. 'Rose, what do you remember?' he asked, suddenly afraid of her answer. Especially after what Jackie had said, he didn't want his actions to change anything between them but at the same time he know whatever reaction she gave, he had earned. Looking back he was disappointed in himself, even though some small part of him was saying it was justified.

'From the Crucible?' He finished explaining his words, even though he was sure she already knew what he meant. He clutched her hand – as she had run it down his arm to sit comfortingly in his once again - tighter in fear she would pull away from him and looking down at the white sheet they sat on, not able to face her with his shame.

He saw her move in his peripherals as she lent up further on her elbows before sitting up completely, bringing her body very close to his. He felt her thumb stroke the back of his hand soothingly and brought her other palm to his neck, urging him to look at her.

When he had looked away from her for the first time since entering the room, or even the TARDIS, she felt an irrational fear of being taken before seeing his deep pools of captivating brown again. She knew what he was thinking and his pain made tears come to her eyes.

She made him look back up and immediately kissed him deeply, keeping her lips soft, he face scrunching slightly in her effort to convey every feeling and emotion through the meeting. She felt him quiver over her and his hand moving to her waist, clutching tightly to ground them bot. The kiss stayed physically shallow but the emotions rushing through them left both gasping as they pulled away.

As she caught her breath Rose finally responded to his silent plea.

'Do you have any idea how much I love you?' The Doctor kept his face blank and said nothing, not sure which direction she would take. She gripped both sides of his face in a firm grip to keep him from looking away. 'I don't know feelings or thoughts but I remember every word spoken, every action made and everything the TARDIS saw.' She tightened her grip as he flinched away and stooped her head to keep eye contact.

'Doctor; I know everyone will think I should be angry or disappointed but I know you better than anyone. I've seen you at your best and at some of your worst and I know that even after the Time War you never stopped. You never broke down. You are always the strong one; the one who fixes everything, who takes car of people. But for once I think it's time you give yourself a break. I'm not angry because I understand and if I lost you again I think I'd do nothing different.' She lowered her voice to a whisper, running one hand soothingly through his hair as she saw his face start to crumble. 'My Doctor, for once, stop worrying about everyone around you and let yourself be… let someone else be the one to take care of you.'

With that she saw the last of his emotional barriers fade and an immense pain and uncertainly filled his features. As she saw the first, heartbreaking tears fall on his lightly freckled skin she kissed them away and pulled him into a tight embrace, not making noises or saying anything knowing the only thing he needed was for her to be there with him.

_Thank-you Rose, _the TARDIS whispered in her head.

She simply smiled a watery smile up at the ceiling. She angled her head towards his ear from where it lay on his shoulder and breathed out the last thing she had to say.

'But if you ever touch a gun with the intention of using it again I will personally make your life a living hell mister.'

She heard him burst out in a watery, tear drenched chuckle against her shoulder and press a kiss to her neck and let a small smile stay on her face.

********************************** **(A/N Was going to leave it there but wanted this in this chapter)**

Some time later they lay together, having moved to the Doctor's room. His bed was large but they lay in the middle, facing each other on their sides, noses almost touching as they simply looked at each other, occasionally stealing a kiss. One of the Doctor's arms lay thrown over Roses waist, stroking her lower back lightly, the other laid unmoving over her steady heart, travelling up to caress her face or tuck back her hair every few minutes. Rose had her left lying across the one of his at her waist, stroking his arm once again, her right resting on his other, moving with his movements, only leaving to tangle in his hair every once in a while. Neither of them registering the fascination they each held with each others hair.

Rose had watched the Doctors expression change from completely calm – after his tears stopped over an hour ago – to an expression of deep thought twenty minutes prior and now she was patiently waiting for him to express whatever it was he was trying to.

After he didn't even know ho long the Doctor had finally made up his mind. He was going to do it… Rose deserved it and he wanted her to know everything and for once, he wasn't afraid. Finally he took a deep breath and the intensity of his gaze only increased ten fold.

'Rose, I want to tell you something but first I have to explain why it's so hard and I want you to know and understand everything about me.' She simply nodded, giving him silent encouragement, all the way suddenly very curious about what was to come.

'When children were born on Gallifrey some events and… ceremonies were very different to what people do on Earth, or anywhere else for that matter.' He made sure to keep constant eye contact, especially for the next thing he was going to say so that she would understand straight away what was going to happen. 'One of the things that are different is that one week after birth all children and their parents are taken to Rassilon, our President, the one who made the Time Lords,' he took another breath, 'and he performs a naming ceremony.' He stopped, watching her reaction.

Her breathing stopped and her eyes widened. Her eyes searched his face frantically and she took a deep shaky breath, gripping his arm at her waist tightly, urging him to go on, even though she seemed to be in some sort of shock.

'A Time Lord's name is sacred. It is chosen for the child. It isn't a meaningless label to indentify with but it is bestowed upon you by Gallifrey itself and even though it is before memories or thought, it is one of the greatest honors a Time Lord, or Lady, will ever be given.' He paused and swallowed, trying to think of how to explain the rest. 'Rose, I don't use it because it seems like a dishonor, a betrayal. How could I use something that I so pure, that came from Gallifrey herself as a gift, when I am responsible for her and her peoples destruction. It is a shame that will live with me and I've never thought any of the humans I have travelled with would understand like you can.'

When he stopped for a minute, she still didn't speak, knowing how fragile his resolve might be and not wanting to break the moment. The reveal of something so intimate soon she would be one of the only beings in the universe to know of it.

'Rose, you can't ever mention it in front of Donna, she can never know, no one must ever know. The TARDIS is the only one left who knows and even she only uses it to help me in the worst of situations when I need to be reminded of who I am. Most of the time, my name must still be the Doctor. Promise me Rose.'

She leaned forwards and pressed her lips to his forehead before moving back again. 'I promise my Doctor.'

Her using his title settled any fears that had been rising within him, along with any lingering doubts. He knew, first and foremost, he would always be her Doctor.

'Tell me,' she prompted with no demand in her voice, only encouragement.

'My name… Is Theta Sigma.' He said the words quietly, barely a whisper or mumble passing from his lips and yet they sounded beautiful to her ears.

She quietly, reverently, let the name roll off her tongue. 'Theta,' watching contently as his eyes closed as something akin to bliss washed over his face. The way she said it made it sound more like a prayer than a curse and he liked it more than he ever had before, a falsh of desire for his beautiful, perfect Rose running through him. Never had he been accepted so easily before.

She let a small contented smile wash over her, whispering his true name again in her mind, knowing somehow that he could hear her while saying "my Doctor" aloud once again, moving forward to catch his mouth in a passionate, consuming kiss and tight embrace.

**A/N I know, its technically only his nickname, but pretend otherwise 'cause I couldn't come up with anything really creative that sounded good. Plus, it's a really good name.**

**So, what do you think? Again, sorry for the long wait – I'll try to get the last one (possibly two) chapter/s much faster. Please review, I really want to know what you think and if there is anything you'd like me to include before the end of the story. I am very open to suggestions and if there is anything specific you would like to see in this story before the end please tell me and I'll see if I can work it in (if I agree XD) Can't wait to hear from you. ALSO - there is eventually going to be more changes in Rose but they will be in the sequel.**

**I'd like to extensively thank Twin Kats for agreeing to do my video and I cannot wait to see the finished product.**

**I also have another video request (Twin Kats if you're up to it you are welcome to do this one as well :D) I'd love someone to do a video of the Doctor and Rose using "Ever Dream" by Nightwish. Please PM or put into a review if you're interested. **

**Also if anyone is interested in doing the first one I'd welcome that as well, it'd be awesome to have more than one made for some variety, see what different things people come up with.**

**Thanks for bearing with me through this stupidly long authors note. MORE DONNA/DOCTOR/ROSE INTERACTION NEXT CHAPTER. STAY TUNED!**

**Reviews = love… so please do XD**

**Thanks,  
Metal. **


	10. the Way It Should Be

**A/N Thank you for your reviews, I'd love it if this story reached one hundred, even though it's doubtful. Oh well, here's hoping. Happy Reading. **

**Allons-y!**

**Disclaimer: I own no rights to any of Doctor Who or its spin offs, I'm just having some fun letting my creativity speak for me.**

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Chapter 10: the Way It Should Be part II

A few hours later Donna awoke and dressed, wondering what exactly they were going to do now. She looked at the clock she had brought with her from home and saw that she had been sleeping for ten hours – not very long considering the stupidly long day they had just had… which very well may have been two days for all she knew.

She let out a snort when she wondered if the Doctor was up yet. Of course he was, he always was. Come to think of it, she had never really asked him how much sleep he needs before. All she knew was that he would always be awake when she went to sleep after an adventure and would always be awake when she made her way blearily into the control room. The only reason she had to think he slept at all was the times she had seen dark circles under his eyes days after particularly traumatic adventures, like the death of Jenny, and the days when she awoke to find him in a new suit.

Suddenly what had happened the day before hit her in a flash and she grinned widely, opening her door and making her way down the corridor to where she knew the Doctor was. She wondered if Rose was awake, after all she had it the hardest out of everyone, except maybe the Doctor, and she hadn't been travelling with him for a few years. God knows it took her quite a few weeks to get used to the Time Lords schedule.

_Oh I am gonna love this! To see the real Doctor... If his attitude a few hours ago is anything to go by this life is about to get a whole lot more entertaining, s_he thought. Everyone who was with them before were wondering and very curious as to if the Doctor was always like he was showing when Rose was in the picture or if it was just temporary because of the shock and fast-pace of everything.

She felt ecstatically happy that she would be the one to find out. When everyone else had left she had half-expected the Doctor to try and drop her off home. Try being the operative word. If he had she would have slapped him one and marched right back to her room in the TARDIS.

With all the thoughts running through her head she was very surprised as she opened the door that led to the console room to find that not only was Rose awake but both her and the Doctor were seemingly dancing around the rotor while Rose was pointing to parts on the panels and calling out what sounded like some of the same scientific babble she sometimes heard spouting uncontrollably out of the suited mans mouth. She realized she recognized some from the few times the Doctor had trying to teach her to help fly the TARDIS.

They slowed down their pace and as Rose finished her listing she looked up at him for approval.

"Oh Rose Tyler, you are brilliant!" He leapt the few steps around the rotor and scooped her into his arms, spinning her around once before letting go as he saw Donna over her shoulder and rushed to her, doing the same.

"Oi put me down space boy." He did and pulled away, looking down at her confused. "Just because she's happy to have your alien mitts all over her for no reason doesn't mean the rest of us are." She sent a wink in Rose's direction to make sure she knew she was joking but knew she didn't have to worry when she saw the petite blonde cover her mouth with her palm to stop sudden giggles escaping, making a rather undignified snorting sound at her effort.

Donna saw the grin instantly reappear on his face and he turned slowly to face the giggling blonde. "And just what are you laughing at Rose Tyler?" Donna smiled widened when she realized it was almost like he was saying her name purposely, like he thought he should say it as many times as he could while he still could.

She knew that even though right now they were joking around and being silly – the Doctor now chasing Rose around the whole room before catching her by the waist and again spinning like a mad-man – underneath they were both still absolutely terrified that history would somehow repeat itself and they would be pulled away from each other. It would definitely take some time, she would bet, for them to even be able to be in separate rooms for more than a few minutes at a time without suffering some sort of panic attacks.

But for now she tried not to worry about them too much and concentrated on the present. "Right, enough of that!" She half-shouted, obviously she would have to be the adult in this relationship from now on. She noted the bag of cold looking chips that lay on a random part of the grating. "What have you two been doing, it looks like you've been awake for a while."

The Doctor tenderly cupped Rose's cheek and laid a lingering kiss on Rose's lips before pulling away and turning to Donna, pulling his blonde savior with him to the captain's seat where she snuggled into him as Donna leant casually against the panel of the console in front of them, arms lightly crossed.

"Well," the Doctor began by his usual ridiculous drawing out of what seemed to be his favourite word. "We were only asleep for three hours or so, figured you'd need some more time and we-"

"Wait a second." Donna interrupted before he got up to his full speed and nothing could stop him. "Shouldn't she need more sleep than that?" She said, pointing at Rose, trying not to be rude.

"Well yeah, if she were still a normal human. But her accelerated cell re-growth patterns also mean that on top of being able to survive… practically anything, sleep has become about as necessary for her as it is for me… isn't that brilliant?" He shot her a ridiculously massive grin before continuing without giving her a chance to respond, going on from his interrupted sentence. "So we took a little side trip to Barcelona."

Rose smile widened and she dug her head affectionately into his shoulder, both arms wrapped around his.

She frowned. "What's so special about Barcelona?"

"The planet not the city," Rose said finally speaking up with laughter in her eyes, tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth slightly as she grinned. "Dogs with no noses… This idiot wanted to keep one and call it Arthur, although personally I think I prefer it for a horse."

Donna looked at her like she was just slightly crazy and was surprised as the Doctor giggled… he actually giggled. She wasn't even aware such a sound could come from him.

It was amazing how different he was now, even after talking for only a minute Donna could see it. The pain that always used to be the most prominent thing in his eyes was now hidden, still there but buried beneath more happiness and joy that she, regretfully, wasn't even sure he was capable of before yesterday.

"Well that's just wizard,' she said mock sarcastically. "Just leave me here to be bored if I woke up."

The Doctor looked slightly uncomfortable but quickly rushed to his own defense. "Sorry. It was sort of one of those things we never got around to… before." Rose squeezed his hand and they shared a look that Donna decided not to notice.

She sighed. "It's fine," she wasn't really angry or anything, she figured it was something like that. "By the way, now that you," she pointed at Rose again, "are back I expect to be hearing all about the old days. Neither of you have got reason to be all mopey about it so I get to hear the adventures and exactly how this," she moved her pointing hand indicating both of them and their position, "happened. I swear Rose," now directly addressing the girl who had already helped her so much, "he was a right old misery when you were gone. Always this lost little puppy look in his eyes and always saying "Rose would have liked that" or "Rose would have loved this"… honestly, I don't know how I put up with it."

Rose grinned back at her as the Doctor protested loudly. "HEY! Don't you go spreading lies Donna Noble; I did not, in any way, look like a puppy."

She gaped for a minute when he picked _that _of all things to get outraged over.

Rose's laughter once again filled the room and soon the both of them followed. Suddenly Rose pulled something out of the pocket of her jacket, which Donna now realized was the one she had picked up in anger that fateful day when she had met the most remarkable man in the universe.

She saw the camera a second before it flashed in her eyes and the blonde re-emerged from behind it smiling before turning it backwards to face her and Doctor, who put their heads together and smiled before the flash once again went off.

She gave both of them a questioning look. "Don't want to get lost with no reminders," Rose muttered and Donna figured out that what was left unsaid. _Get lost and stay lost. _She just smiled at the girl, happy to know that she would want to remember her.

"Oh, I've got a question for you Rose." When she saw she had the blonde's attention she asked a question that had been bugging her since yesterdays events. "In that parallel world, why exactly did you tell me I was the most important woman in creation? It's not like I did anything special."

The Doctor looked about to protest but stopped as Rose once again squeezed his hand, silently telling him to let her answer the question. "Two reasons actually. One was that I was referring to what you had already done. You saw it yourself, without you the Doctor would have died with the Racnoss and along with him the whole of this universe and reality would have been in danger. The second was that without you coming back to this world and passing on my message to the Doctor it might have been too late by the time he knew the Earth was gone and everything would have died."

Donna nodded her head; glad she had actually done something important in the last fight. She had felt rather useless at the time but now she was satisfied. She watched as the Doctor whispered something in Rose's ear and the girls face light up again as he squeezed she shoulder before bouncing up and walking to the rotor, flipping switches and pulling levers.

"So, where are we going then?" Donna asked, watching in mild surprise as Rose also got up and started helping the Doctor as he called out thing for her to do, the blonde automatically obeying, clearly already having somehow memorized the workings of the TARDIS.

"You two are impossible do you know that?" She questioned rhetorically, but of course the Doctor gave her an answer anyway.

He captured Rose's hand, pulled down a lever that made the TARDIS' engines start up and smiled down at them both. "Of course we are… Stuff of legends; Mutt and Jeff, Shiver and Shake." He grinned and waited, knowing what was coming as Donna watched on confused, having the feeling that she would have to get used to the sensation hanging around with those two.

Rose grinned with her tongue sticking out slightly between her teeth. "Which one's Shiver?" She asked, eyes fixed, sparkling, on the Doctor.

"Oh, I'm Shake." He responded before they were all thrown onto the grating, only staying down for a second.

Rose was up the fastest and she ran over to the door, unbelievably happy that after all this time this was finally happening. It was their first adventure for forever and she couldn't wait to see what lay outside those doors.

**A/N I know, a bit light on the romance but the sequel will have much Rose/Doctor fluffy goodness so stay tuned. I'm not sure how long it'll tak me to start up the sequel but not too long, especially since I'm now on mid-semester break. **

**PLEASE TELL ME WHICH OF THESE YOU WOULD PREFER FOR THE SEQUEL! I could:**

** 1) Re-do the episodes, staring from "the Next Doctor" and the other specials and going through series 5, with 10, Rose and Donna. **

** OR**

** 2) Try to come up with completely new adventures for them to go on. (If you pick this one it'll take me longer to put up and update)**

**Please tell me in reviews which you'd prefer.**

**Thank-you so much for reading and I hope I didn't let you down. I enjoyed writing this so much and I can't thank you all enough for all the wonderful feedbacks I've receive. Thank-you so so so much!**

**I'll put an author's note as another chapter in this story telling you that I've posted the sequel when I have.**

**Long live David Tennant!**

**Allons-y!**


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